


Praying for Rain

by Snelly_ESQ



Category: Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/F, Just a precaution for some implied things later on, This is more of a soft M as there isn't anything particularly explicit, hurt to comfort ratio maybe like 60/40?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:26:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 22,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26765029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snelly_ESQ/pseuds/Snelly_ESQ
Summary: After Julia leaves the university, she moves to a quaint little seaside village in Cornwall, expecting to live out her days surrounded by friends, and yet somehow utterly alone. Meanwhile, Carmen finds that the stakes have just been raised rather high for her; life or death high, to be exact. Will their paths ever cross again? And if they do...will it be for a good reason?
Relationships: Julia "Jules" Argent/Carmen Sandiego | Black Sheep
Comments: 47
Kudos: 192





	1. A Coffee Shop in a Coastal Town in Cornwall, England

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT: This work is Canon Divergent, and only takes place after season 3, episode 5. It is also separate from the universe of my previous Carmen Sandiego work, The Waldo Walton Caper.  
> Enjoy!

_ “Any planet is ‘Earth’, to those that live on it.” _

_ -Isaac Asimov, ‘Pebble In the Sky’ _

What is the nature of love?

Is it to burn, like hot fire, kisses being the coal in the firebox of the train of the heart? Or is it to simmer, burn dimly, like a candle let out on a table and lit to give light as the power blinks and the storm of life grows in strength? And what is the nature of the  _ storm?  _ A rushing, hurried heat storm, forming from seemingly clear blue skies, the humidity turning to rain turning to wind, and leaving just as quickly? Or is the storm a hurricane, slowly churning and getting stronger, leaving you time to strengthen, time to prepare? 

Julia didn’t know. 

The day slowly wore itself on. It was her day off, today, her day off from working in that little seaside coffee shop, John Rathman’s. She was still there, however, sitting, and sketching. She’d always loved to paint and draw, and now she at least got time to do it. She had gone from six figures a year to maybe 30,000 pounds, but the money she’d made doing Interpol and ACME work was enough to fully buy a small house further up the hill, and the job at least paid the bills.

She sat there, sketching. There were a few cyclists, sitting, talking, the paint jobs of their carbon fiber steeds either glinting in the light, or barely letting any on at all, in the case of the matte black one, propped up against the brick wall of the shop. 

One was red.

It said Orbea on the side. Red, with fluorescent green accents. Red.

_ Red. _

In a moment, she looked up, and saw her standing there. She wore that same big red fedora and trench coat, and had that familiar smile on her face. She was beautiful, with the sun sinking down and the soft breeze blowing. 

She blinked, and she was gone. 

“We’d better get headed back...only about 30 k but the sun’s getting low.”

“Right. Let’s pick up the tempo while we’re at it, eh?”

“Sure.” 

The cyclists turned on their bright, blinking lights, and the distinctive clink of their clipless pedals rang off the walls of the shops there. They’d sat for quite a bit. She looked at the drawing. She’d color it later...she had a good memory for these sorts of things. 

She stood, adjusting her blouse, and walking up the hill, back to her home. It was dark inside, the lights weren’t on. When she turned them on, it was the same old place. She always half expected her to be there; to walk in, and hear the television going, or hear something in the kitchen. She sighed heavily when she heard nothing but silence. She just cooked some chicken and ate it, glumly, staring out the window. 

“You’ll be happier away from ACME...pfft.” She spoke to herself, her mouth half full, the only noises being the clink of utensils on the plate. “Am I?” 

_ Was she?  _

She was, in a way. It was nice to know you weren’t going to be facing down the barrel of a gun any time soon. It was also rather nice to have time to paint, to draw, to do art, to make friends, all that sort of thing. And she did have plenty of friends! There was Michael from the coffee shop, and Jane, and Jane’s friend Jack, and Jack’s boyfriend, and...well okay maybe that was it but it was a start! She was normal now. She hadn’t been normal in years. She knew it would take some getting used to. 

As she washed dishes, the phone rang. She picked it up. “Hello?”

“Julia?”

“Mum?”

“Oh! Thank goodness! The number you gave me works this time.” Her mother chuckled a bit. “What’s all this about cornwall?”

“Huh? Oh, I, uhm...I live here now. I work at a coffee shop.”

“I see!” Her mother sounded cheerful. “What happened to teaching?”

“I...let’s just say I really should have gone back to school to get an ed degree before I tried jumping into that pool.”

“You tried getting a teaching job without a teaching degree?”

“I thought, maybe, I could go to the collegiate level, but they all want terminal degrees these days.”

“Oh.” Her mother replied. “Well, that doesn’t change how proud we are of you, you know that, right?”

“I know that.” Julia smiled. 

“Either way, I feel like I should visit!”

Before saying some excuse, Julia realized she didn’t need one. She realized she didn’t need to say anything, she wasn’t secretly in some far flung city, she was in a neat little town by the sea, selling coffee and drawing bicyclists and fishing vessels. 

“You should, yes.” She gave her the address. “When’s a good time for you?”

“Oh, I’d say...a few days, perhaps?” 

“Wonderful. I’ll see you then.” She said. 

“Likewise, dear!” Her mother said. “Your father says hello, by the way, at least, I’m sure he does. He’s off at work.”

“Tell him I said hi.”

“I will. So long, sweetie.” Her mother hung up the phone. Julia put hers down. She was happy. She could see her mother, she could draw, paint, sell coffee…

She thought she saw her.

Out the window, she could swear it was her. She blinked. 

Gone.

Jules hated that. She had done her best to stop her from being aimlessly hunted, but she’d failed. What’s worse is that everything was so cloak and dagger, she didn’t even know if she was still out there. She didn’t know anything. She didn’t know if Carmen even cared if she was gone. She knew nothing, and the silence of it screamed at her, like an angry spirit, sucking the life from her. She loved Carmen. She loved her dearly. 

But did Carmen love her back? Did Carmen search for her, did Carmen’s informant, whoever that may be, spend countless nights trying to find her, at the request of Carmen Sandiego? 

What was the nature of love?

What was the nature of  _ their  _ love?

Julia changed into pajamas, locked the doors, ran the dishwasher, closed the windows, and turned out the lights. She huffed a bit, sitting in her room, a single lamp on, trying to read a bit. Some old trashy novel a friend of hers got her years ago, something about spies. It made her think about the old days, exotic destinations, expensive parties, top notch equipment, having to deal with Chase’s hair-brained schemes. She tended to forget about all the paperwork, and report writing, and dull flights, and crowded places. She forgot all of that, and just remembered the fun parts, romanticizing it, tinting the glasses such a deep rosie hue that the truth wasn’t only lost, but purposefully destroyed. She hated most of the job, but books like this helped her forget all of that. 

It got to be too silly at some points. The book made the spy’s life out to be nothing but boozing, schmoozing, and wooing pretty girls. Some things are just too rose tinted to be taken seriously, and the book got to that point. She put it on the nightstand, and stretched, softly. She nestled into the bed, the large, queen sized bed, alone, into the side with the window. She had work tomorrow. The moon shone through the window, so she turned away, and looked at the wall, full of her own portraits, sketches of friends, of her…

She couldn’t stop thinking about her. 

She knew she’d dream about her. 

She didn’t mind it so much. 

She was happy here; Julia Argent sold coffee. She worked at John Rathman’s Coffee. She painted, and sketched, pictures of bikes and fishing boats and friends. She was 23, and all she thought of all day was a woman who may as well not exist, hoping,  _ beyond all hope,  _ that she would come and see her.

That is the nature of love. 

A simmering, flickering flame. A candle, not in a room darkened by the storm of life, but in a sunset lit room, bathed in the warmth of happiness.


	2. A Body, Fears, and Fudge

“...bell is in place.” Carmen smirked as she walked away from the Shipwreck Museum, and back into the van. “Looks like El Topo wasn’t quick enough this time.” She walked back into the van and sighed, taking her jacket off as the warm air of the van hit her. 

“Good stuff, Carm!” Zack said. “Now let’s get back to the mitten, there’s no fudge up here!”

“We’ve still got something to work on.” Player said. “Just because we got the Edmund Fitzgerald’s bell secured doesn’t mean we’re done on the UP.” 

“Apparently there were some VILE codewords activated while you were in there,” Ivy said, “Something about, uh...Neptune?”

“Never heard that one.” She shrugged. “Probably nothing urgent, all the urgent ones have numbers.” 

Shadow-San looked up when he heard the word. “Neptune?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Where was the call made?” 

“Uhm...just up the road?” 

“We must move. Quickly.” Shadow-San said. 

“What does it mean?”

“Someone’s been killed. Purposefully.”

The van got there quick, and Ivy made the call to the police. She figured maybe the world renowned thief shouldn’t be calling any authorities. The man was clearly...dead. A gun shot wound, sitting there in the soft august daylight. “God, what happened?”

“Well, someone shot him. That someone must’ve been from VILE.” Carmen said. “They covered their tracks pretty well.” She peered at the man. “Oh no…”

“What?”

“He was a VILE informant.” Carmen said. “He was the one who tipped me off to the planned heist here.” 

“Really!?” Zack asked. “So you’re telling me whoever did this was able to find him and just...shoot him?”

“They must be tying up loose ends.” Carmen shuddered, audibly nervous, something she normally was't. 

“Police are almost there, Carmen, back in the van!” Player said over the communicator. 

“Gotcha.” She walked to the back of the van. Ivy spoke with the police.

“Do you know this man?”

“No.”

“Is this how you found him?” 

“Face up, yeah, Poor guy. Maybe some sorta poachin’ accident?”

“Maybe. We’ll take a good look...you said you were just driving along the road and saw him?” 

“Yeah.”

“Okay. That’s all, ma’am...do you need anything? I know this can shake someone up, eh.”

“No, I’ll be alright…”

“Okay then. You let us know if you find anything else, okay?”

“Yep.”

And with that, she got back into the van. The atmosphere was dark and generally unpleasant. I mean, how wouldn’t it be?  _ Someone was killing informants _ . It was only a matter of time before informants turned to former agents, turned to colleagues, turned to-

“Jules.” Carmen's eyes shot wide open when she said the name. "What about Jules? We can't just leave her, can we? What is _she's_ a loose end? What if-"

“Carm, ever since she stopped working at that university, she’s fallen off the face of the earth.” Zack said. 

“You’re right, but….I thought the informant had, too.” 

“Well, if we can’t find her, we can’t do anything about it.”

“I guess.” 

Carmen looked out the window at the pine trees passing by. They turned at a little fire road, and started to head back towards the Mackinac bridge, watching the pine trees and the lake passing by. 

Carmen had wanted to swim in the lakes for a long time. It was apparently much cooler, and in a lot of places, more calm. Here, for example, the surf was supposed to be almost nonexistent. It seemed like a lovely place for a break, or for a walk with...someone nice. Someone she loved, someone whose hand she could hold. 

She looked down.

“Hey, we can swim in Lake Michigan, y’know, it’s just as nice where we are.”

“Thanks, Ivy, but-”

“And we gotta jump off the break water!” Zack said. 

“I know, Zack...it’s not about swimming.” 

“What is it then?” 

“...Do you think Jules would like Michigan?”

“Carmen,” Ivy looked over, “You have to stop dwelling. I know it hurts. I’ve been left behind, too. It  _ sucks _ . But you’re in a beautiful place, with a bit of time to rest your head, and good company! You’ve got a heck of a lot going for you right now.” Ivy said. “I think it’s just a lack of fudge, anyhow. We’ll get some when we get back to Petoskey.” 

“What’s all this about fudge?” Shadow-San asked. 

“This region of the country is known for it. It’s supposed to be the best in the world.” Carmen said. “And yet, much to Zack’s dismay, we haven’t had any since we got here.”

“We’re in  _ Michigan,  _ carm! We’re in  _ Northern Michigan!  _ And we haven’t stepped foot in ONE fudge place!”

“Zack,  _ please,  _ we’re getting back to Petoskey soon, just pipe down, will ya?” Ivy rolled her eyes. “We’ll get some there.”

When they got there, Zack and Ivy went out and just walked all around Petoskey, getting fudge, going to restaurants, jumping off the breakwater...Carmen just sort of sat in the little hotel room they’d booked, and looked out the window, at the sun setting over the Little Traverse Bay. She smiled a bit to herself, thinking about Julia. “I wonder if she’s got ships to look at.”

“Hmm?” Shadow-San looked over. 

“When we were….together one night, in Monaco, after that whole debacle where Zack and Ivy were captured?” She turned to face the older man, “She told me she wanted to live close to the sea. It was a dream of hers.” She looked down, at her hands. They were rough, and calloused, hardly hands fit to hold someone like Jules. Maybe this was the way the universe was telling her it wasn’t meant to be. 

“You’re worried about her.”

"Horrified." Carmen quipped. “I just looked at an informant laying dead on the ground. I’m  _ bound  _ to be worried. It’d be worse if I wasn’t, right?”

“It makes sense to be worried.” Shadow-San said. “But this man, he...didn’t exactly look ‘in shape’ as it were.”

“Jules is pretty capable. I doubt one person could actually get to her, especially if WE can’t even find her.”

“She must be rather low profile, then.” 

“I guess.” 

Carmen rubbed her eyes, and undid her hair, letting it down, and laying on her bed. She quickly got up, and went to the bathroom to change into pajamas, walking to the bed and just sitting for a moment. She looked back out the window. “I just hope she’s by the sea.”

“I’m sure she is.” Shadow-San smiled a bit, and stood, with a grunt. “I’m going to my room. If you need me, you know where I am.”

“Thanks, Shadow-San.” 

“Always.” He walked out of the room. She closed the door, locked it, and looked out the window, peering. She saw Zack and Ivy coming back up the hill, with a few boxes, no doubt full of fudge. She saw the sun sink down, and could see the dim, red, pulsing glow of the light beacon at the end of the breakwater. She almost felt like Gatsby, reaching out to it, putting her hand on the glass of the window. Half of her imagined that Jules was somewhere on the other side of that beacon. She knew that was unlikely, Jules didn’t have any connections in Michigan, at least, not that she knew of. She looked down. She laid in bed, staring at the wall. 

“Please be safe…” She said. She drifted off to bed, hoping,  _ beyond all hope,  _ that Jules wouldn’t even get close to whoever offed the informant.  _ Just a one off thing,  _ she said,  _ it was just a coincidence, that guy didn’t have many friends… _

She gripped the pillow, and sighed, before closing her eyes, and letting herself sleep.


	3. Food and Gossip

A knock came on the door. 

Julia opened the door, wearing a gray turtleneck and blue jeans. She’d just come from work. 

A smaller looking woman, with jet black hair, white pants, and a floral print shirt, carrying a small bag, smiled at her. “Julie!” 

“Mum!” 

Julia’s mother was an Asian British woman, born in Hong Kong, but raised in North London. She was an accountant for some rather high up firms before retiring. Her husband still worked for BAE. She was cheerful, friendly, and an absolute delight.

Jules hugged her tightly, and smiled. “Oh, it’s so good to see you!” The two hugged for what seemed like ages. 

“You have to tell me everything! Where have you been? It’s been ages since you left school, and when I called up that school, they-”

“I left the school there, it was...stuffier than I’d imagined it being.” She said. “Much stuffier.” 

“Well,” Her mother handed her a bag, “I’ve brought you some things...just candies you liked from when you were a little girl.” She said. 

“Thanks…” She put them down on the table, and walked outside. “I know a rather lovely little restaurant down by the water. We should go there.” 

It was around midday when they got there, and sat down, looking out on the tide rolling in. Julia sighed. “It’s lovely today, isn’t it?”

“It is!” Her mother replied, cheerfully, looking over the menu.

“I’ve never had the pasties from here, I hear they’re quite good?” 

“Hmm? I like them, yes.” She said. “They’re an acquired taste, though.” 

“What’s Turmut?” 

“Swede.” Julia said. “I honestly might just go with cod and chips.” 

“You’ve always liked that.” 

“It’s good here.” 

“You’ve eaten so much of that over your lifetime, young lady,” Her mother leaned over towards her, “you’ll turn into a big old codfish if you aren’t careful.” 

Julia smiled and laughed a little. They placed orders, and got drinks, and waited. Julia’s mother looked around. 

“So, you have to tell me what’s been...y’know, happening in your life!”

“That’s broad.”

“It’s supposed to be!” She quipped. “You’ve been so vague, off doing this, off doing that. I know Interpol is a rather lofty organization, but I don’t think their jurisdiction goes all the way to Dubai, and yet, I tried to call you, and you were there!”

“Well…” Julia sighed a bit. “I didn’t always work for Interpol.” She said. 

“Oh? Who did you work for?”

“A, uhm…” She wasn’t sure what she could say that could be believed. “I worked for a, uhm...a UN task force. We were looking for a group of very skilled thieves.”

“I see…” Her mother seemed to believe it. “Any I’d know?”

“No, no...these weren’t money thieves. They were art thieves, antique thieves, things of that nature. Things that are nearly impossible to replace.” 

“Interesting! So you came here to settle down?” 

“I-”

“Where is he? Was he in the house?” She gasped. “Is he a secret?”

“Mum, I...I prefer the company of women.” 

“Well, where’s  _ she  _ then?” 

“It’s...complicated?” She pinched the bridge of her nose. No one else was around them, which was good. The waitress came with more drinks. Just water at this point, really.

“Complicated? You know I enjoy a bit of drama.”

“Well, I…” She sighed. “I fell in love with one of the thieves.”

“You  _ didn’t!”  _ Her mother responded quietly, just as quietly as Julia was speaking. No one around, it was a tuesday, they weren’t exactly being listened to. But still, didn’t want to cause a scene.

“We even, ehm...met, one night, in Monaco.” Julia said. “But, I mean, we didn’t...it was hard to keep up after that.”

“She just left after a night together in Monaco, then?” Her mother prodded. “Where’s she now, huh? I’d like to give her a piece of my mind, I-”

“Mum, it’s more complicated than that. I had a job, and she did too...she was trying to stop the other thieves.” She said. “...I know this all sounds hard to believe, but-”

“Oh, I believe it. I know you, Julia, you don’t exaggerate.” 

“I know.” She looked down. “I just mean to say that it’s not like she just...left. I’m sure she misses me too, somewhere. I just don’t know where she is.”

“Oh, you poor thing...you stopped chasing after her because you loved her, didn’t you?”

“And now I have no clue where she is.”

“Dear…”

Food came, and they began to eat. 

“I would’ve brought something a bit more substantial than fizzy belts and chocolates if I’d known all of that happened.”

Julia laughed. “I should’ve known you’d buy fizzy belts.”

“Well they’ve always been your favorite, Julia, I just wanted to make you happy! I know that adjusting to a life like this can be hard!” 

“Thank you, mum. I’m very happy.” The two ate, and talked, and talked, and ate, the soft summer air pleasant and warm as the breeze blew in off of the water. Everything felt so...wonderful. It was nice, being normal. Julia enjoyed it. All she had to do for the rest of the day was to talk to her mother and eat fizzy belts. Maybe catch up on some drawing, maybe go for a swim. Maybe something else entirely. 

* * *

“I’ve got to get going, they’ll miss me at book club tomorrow.” 

“Alright.” Julia hugged her mother tightly. She sighed. “I’ll be here as long as I can be.” She said. “If I have to go away for a bit, I have to go away for a bit. But I’ll come back. I own the place.”

“I’m sorry,  _ own _ ?”

“International spy work has its perks…” Julia winked. And kissed her mother’s cheek. “Have a safe trip back, mum.” 

“I will!” 

As she waved goodbye and saw her drive off back north, she looked out of the window of the small home. She sighed. “It would be nicer with you, here, Carmen.” She said to herself. “I wonder if she’s ever even had fizzy belts?” Julia chuckled a bit to herself as she ate a few, and washed her hands, sitting in the living room, and curling up on the couch. She huffed a bit as she sat, and looked up. 

“Do you still live in the United States?” She asked to no one. 

“Do you still wear the same jacket with that rosie perfume?” She held a throw pillow close to her. It was a red one. 

“Do you think of me?” She asked, turning over, to face the tv, turning it on, flipping through things, and deciding to just put whatever on as background noise. She got up, went to her room, and changed into lounging clothes, pajama pants and an old Interpol T-shirt. She laid back on the couch, humming a bit to herself. 

“...the exhibit of the McLaren MP4/6, the Formula One car that famed driver Ayrton Senna raced to the championship of 1991, will make its way to Truro this weekend.” 

Julia wondered about something...if there was, perhaps, a big thing coming near her...something that could be stolen…

She moved the thought out of her mind. 

Of course it wouldn’t be like that, it was just too convenient. Besides, Truro was a bit of a hike anyway. Not that she wouldn’t be willing to make the drive...

* * *

“...I’m thinking Dash Haber’s gonna try for it. At the very least, VILE wants eyes on the car.”

“Where is it?” Carmen asked, as they waited outside of a jazz club in new york, trying to find somewhere,  _ anywhere,  _ to park the van.

“Truro. It’s the Cathedral city in Cornwall. It’s the county town, so it’s pretty important. But also a little remote, too, so they can move it easier.”

“I see…” Carmen nodded. “Well, we’ll stop there next.”

“We’re not gonna miss the chance to do this, right?” Ivy asked.

“Miss a chance to embarrass a VILE operative  _ and  _ save the trumpet of Miles Davis? Not for the world.”

“How on earth do they think they’re gonna sneak out with a trumpet? It’s pretty fragile, right?”

“People steal fragile things all the time, Zack.” Ivy said. “Hey, parking! Alright!” Ivy parked the car. “We all know our places, right?” 

“I’m with the van.” Zack said. 

“I’m distracting whatever VILE agent swings by.” Ivy nodded. 

“And I’m going for the trumpet. I get my hands on it while it’s in the back, and we trap the VILE agent, whoever it is, in the room with Ivy. Put the trumpet where it belongs, and then it’s in such plain sight that they have no choice but to abort the mission.”

Carmen blinked. 

She saw the body, crumpled up, facing the sky. She winced and huffed a bit, shaking her head. “Alright, is everyone ready to go?”

“I’m ready.” Ivy said. 

“I’ll be here! Careful, Ivy.” Zack said, nudging her shoulder. 

“I’ll be fine.” She smirked assuredly, and walked into the city. 

“Very well...let’s begin.” Carmen headed towards the club they were taking the horn from. As the rain started to pelt down, she hid herself under the broad brim of her fedora, and began to walk.

_ Here we go.  _


	4. The Kind of Blue Caper

“Birdland. One of the most prestigious jazz clubs in New York City.” Player said. “This is actually the third reincarnation of it, but a club with the Birdland name has been operating for quite some time.”

“Tonight,” He continued, “They’re hosting a special event where they’re showing off Miles Davis’ trumpet. Davis was one of the most important composers of the 20th century, and wrote the best jazz record of all time, kind of blu-”

“Player, you’re rambling again.” Carmen chuckled as she worked her way into the club. 

“Hey, I’m just interested in it, that’s all.” He said. 

“I know. I just need to focus a bit right now…”

“Ticket?”

“Right here.” She showed off a ticket to get in. She checked her coat and hat with a familiar looking red headed woman, before walking in. She wore a sleeveless, red skater dress with red heels, and let her hair down. She simply walked in, and sat at her table for a few moments. She flitted through her phone, getting in touch with Ivy on the communicator. 

“Are you in the room?”

* * *

“In here. It’s up the stairs. No sign of any VILE people. Player told me he thinks it’s gonna be Tigress.” 

“She would be the sort of person they’d send to something like this...right. I’m gonna head up, grab it, and put it in that cheap case you got.”

Carmen went to get up, and walk backstage as the crowd applauded the end of another number. She used the distraction to get in undetected, and walked upstairs quickly. She checked the room. “Ivy, you in there?”

“Right here, Carm.” She got the trumpet into the case. “Get this, one of my cousins works here! I got him to do us a solid and store you in a storage closet someplace...it’s cramped but you gotta do what you gotta do.”

“Heh...you’ll be fine warding off that VILE agent, whoever it is?” She asked, walking out of the room. 

“I’ll get it done, Carm. Trumpet goes out at 9:00.”

“Got it.”

Ivy waited, almost restlessly. Sure, she was a capable girl. She knew she could handle herself in a fight, that wasn’t any sort of issue at all. But what if it  _ was  _ Tigress? Tigress was the only one she’d fought a few times, and those were hard fights! The further from 9:00 it happened, the longer she’d have to draw it out, and that could be...dangerous. 

8:45. A noise in the vent. 

8:50. The vent opens, and in drops her, the Tigress. She looks around, sputtering a bit. “Ugh...musty in there. Where’s the…. _ you. _ ”

“Hey, kitty.” Ivy smirked. “Trumpet’s not here.”

“I see...then what are you up to?”

“Keepin’ you from finding it, that’s what I’m up to.” 

“She always sends the cute girl to fight me,” Sheena smirked, “It’s a shame, it almost works, too. You’re almost cute enough that I don’t want to fight you.” 

“Are...are you flirting with me?” 

“I said that out loud huh?” Sheena blushed and shook her head. “That’s not import-”

“You think I’m cute?” Ivy walked a little closer. “What’s cute about me, huh?” 

Sheena was visibly annoyed, but internally quite nervous. “I...uhm...well, i-it’s...I kinda like, uhm...r...redheads. And strong girls.”

Ivy couldn’t help but laugh. It made Sheena laugh, too. The two laughed for a moment, before they collected themselves. 

“Anyway, Sheena, you’re cute and all, I’ll admit that, but I’ve got a job to do, and it involves keeping you away from the horn.” 

“Gonna have to work hard to do that, Ivy.” She stanced up. “It’s gotta be on this floor somewhere, and you won’t be able to stop me from looking if you’re  _ unconscious. _ ”

“Go ahead, pussycat.  _ Make my day. _ ”

Sheena lunged for her, but Ivy dodged, and turned around to kick her. The kick was caught by an all too oriented tigress, who swept Ivy’s legs out from under her. Ivy was on the ground, but got up quickly, and punched Sheena in the gut, causing her to lean over. Ivy then rushed her, carrying her and putting her against the wall. Ivy winked. “As long as you’re with VILE, this is as close as we’re gettin’, kitten.” She went to punch her, but the punch was caught by Sheena. Sheena used Ivy’s surprised pause to jab her side and get out from her, then pinning her to the wall. 

“Nice try, Ivy.” Sheena said. “I wonder if I should use these claws on your pretty little face…?” She winked. “Ehh, why not?” 

She went to slash at her, but Ivy dodged, and the motion caused the two of them to pile onto each other before landing on the floor, with Ivy on top of Sheena. Ivy quickly got off of her and stood, checking her watch. 

8:59.

“Too late, Sheena.” She huffed in air. “The trumpet goes on the floor in a couple of seconds. It’ll be guarded for the rest of the night.” 

“...ugh, you tricked me into taking longer by making me flirt with you!”

“YOU started flirting with me, let’s get that squared away.” 

“Whatever.” Sheena stood up. “I’m still mad.”

“Aww, gonna make me sleep on the couch tonight?” Ivy pouted and laughed, before Sheena lunged at her, putting her on the floor. Ivy  _ slammed  _ her elbow onto Sheena’s knee, making her lose balance and fall off her. She got up. “Sweet dreams, Sheena.” 

WHAM!

A stiff punch to the face put Sheena out for the count. 

“Uhm….Player you gotta help me, I didn’t think this through.” 

“There’s an awning on part of the roof that they use when the weather’s good. Put her under there, no one will look and she’ll wake up eventually.” 

“Got it.” She carefully used roof access, getting to the roof and placing her under the awning. She left a little note with her. 

“Tigress,

I think you’re cute, too, if that makes you feel better. Hope the black eye heals up quick~

I.”

She looked at her watch, and smiled. “How long until the actual reveal, Player?”

“They’ve been stalling a bit, but they should be ready to do it soon. The guy just stopped reading stuff.” 

* * *

“...so, patrons, we present to you, the trumpet of one of the greatest jazz composers of all time, Miles Davis!” Out onto the stage walked a man in a suit, who whispered to the man reading. 

“...what? Oh, alright.” he shook his head. “Folks, they lost the trumpet so they’re gonna be a minute.” The crowd laughed a bit. Losing one of the most important musical instruments in the world was, admittedly, pretty funny. Out onto stage walked Carmen, still in her clothes, carrying the trumpet, with white gloves. The crowd cheered, as she placed it onto the trumpet stand. She even bowed a little bit, before walking off stage, and sneaking into the coat room, to grab her things. As she put her hair up, ivy joined her. 

“Good work!” Ivy said. “It was Tigress, by the way.” 

“Oh? How’s Sheena doing?” 

“You’re never going to believe this…” She stifled a laugh, “apparently, she’s, like….into me?” 

“Huh? Oh, I figured.”

Ivy looked surprised. “ _ You figured?” _

Carmen nodded. “I mean, why not? You’re her type.” She said, casually, as if it were nothing. “She likes strong girls. And accents.”

“How do you KNOW this!?” Ivy seemed a bit frustrated at this point. “How do people in VILE even have  _ types!?”  _

“What else are we going to talk about on an island where no one can get in or out? Sports?” 

“Carmen I think you’re failing to see the significance here...that’s not important.” She said. “Look, point is, I took care of her. We got a plan for England yet?”

“Player’s working on it.” 

The two walked outside and walked toward the van lot. “You must’ve fought pretty hard then, if it was her. I know she’s tough.”

“I’m tougher.” Ivy said. “Besides, fighting someone her size isn’t hard. She’s kinda….” She paused in her tracks. “Carmen.” She looked into an alley. She peered into it. 

“Is that a body?” 

“What?” Carmen walked into the alley, and saw...no. 

_ No, no, no. _

“...that was Carter. He’d gone legit, had been for a while.” She said. “Stabbed…”

“Dear lord.” Ivy shook her head, and winced at the sight. “There’s fear in his eyes.” She said. “That’s not….good.”

“They went after someone who had been clean for years. He had friends here, he had a family, he was a good guy, It HAD to be VILE.” Carmen was doing something that Ivy had never seen before. 

Hyperventilating. 

“Carmen, calm down.” 

“How am I supposed to calm down? People who helped me stop VILE operations are getting killed, i-it’s only a matter of time before they get to one of us, or me, or ju-”

“Carmen.” Ivy put her hands on her shoulders. “There’s nothing we can do.” She said. “We just need to be a bit more careful, that’s all.” She hugged Carmen, and Carmen hugged her back, tightly. 

“I haven’t been this nervous in a while…”

“I know. Let’s get you back to the van, okay?” 

The two walked back to the van, and shuffled in. “Yikes, you look grim.” Zack said. 

“We found another body.”

“Oh.” Zack;s tone changed. “Former VILE?”

“Yeah.” Carmen said. She leaned on Ivy, who put an arm around her, patting her shoulder. “It’s okay….it’s okay.”

“Player...get us a jet for England.” Carmen shakily spoke the words. 

“Alright. Getting it arranged now.” 

* * *

That night, as they slept in a hotel, Carmen sat up. All she could see were bodies. People she’d met, people she’d helped, Ivy, Zack….Julia. 

She couldn’t let that happen. But she had no idea what was even happening here. Who was doing this? It  _ had  _ to be some sort of VILE thing, right? 

She sighed. Nothing she could do. 

_ Nothing she could do.  _


	5. All Too Quiet

“Truro, Cornwall. The center of administration for the ceremonial county of Cornwall. It became a city in 1876, but artifacts date all the way back to Norman times. The most notable part is the Cathedral, completed in 1910.”

“And it’s at Lemon Quay, near the center of the town, where Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/6 will take to the streets.” Carmen said. Carmen stretched a bit, and stood in the van. 

“So what’s the plan, player?”

“I managed to find out that Dash Haber is here, and wants the car for a high end client. I also know that our guest for the weekend is Paper Star. She’s probably going to attempt to sneak the car out when it reaches the truck it’s being stored in for transport.” 

“So what’s the move?”

“Steal the truck  _ and  _ the car, and return it to McLaren’s formula one headquarters in Woking, England.”

“Sounds...ambitious. How do we even get to the truck?” 

“Good question. Ivy, I’m sending you coordinates, you can drive the van there. I’ve entered you into the driver’s pool under a false name. You’ll be the last to drive it, and the one to drive it back to the truck. Your name is Ralph Caccini. No donuts, though. They can only powerwash so much of the pavement.”

“I get to  _ drive  _ it!?”

“You get to drive it.” 

“YES!”

“Carmen I’m having you tail Dash Haber, to make sure no funny business happens.”

“Deal.” 

“Shadowsan, you watch for Paper Star. I’m not sure what she’ll be up to, but I want you to keep an eye on her.” 

Shadowsan nodded. “I can manage that.”   
“I’m sending you coordinates to a little town that’s maybe...45 minutes from here, on the coast. It’s where we’ll rendezvous if anything goes wrong.” 

“Understood….team red? Let’s case the joint.”

* * *

Julia had been to Truro a few times. Mostly, on holidays when she was younger, and once for a wedding that an aunt had. She hummed a bit to herself as she walked through the town, a good sized sketchbook with her. She was lucky to find parking, the city was already rather excited for the appearance of the car, it seemed. 

She walked by the cathedral on her way to Lemon Quay. She remembered Lemon Quay, it was where she was when she found out she was-

“Julia?”

Julia looked over, towards the voice. It was an American voice, it had to be Carmen, it  _ had to- _

“Oh...heh, sorry. Wrong Julia.” 

“Oh...of course.” Julia smiled at the blonde woman who had accidentally addressed her. “It’s a common name.” She got a better look. It was a very  _ poorly  _ done undercover job from Zari. She stuck out like a sore thumb...she was clearly expecting Cornwall to be warmer than it really is. 

The woman, who was definitely Zari, and definitely  _ not  _ taking a vacation, walked away, and Julia sighed. She got to the Quay, and saw a crowd amassing by some barriers. Clearly, this was going to be a rather nice event...well, for the people who’d bought vip tickets. For the general, non-paying public, though, it was a good chance to see the car. Julia wasn’t too interested in formula one, nor in motorsport, come to think of it. But maybe she was holding out hope that she’d see a familiar face. 

The car was there, all cleaned and polished. Some big shot f1 driver, who honestly, didn’t look much older than her, was talking to a few people out in front of it, wearing vintage McLaren racing leathers. She peered at him a bit. He had fiery red hair, freckles, and from what she could hear, a thick, bostonian accent. She swore she’d seen him before. He started to walk around as other drivers gave little speeches. His eyes fixated on her. He looked shocked, then surprised. 

He walked over. 

_ He was so familiar, he had to know- _

“Hey, you’re...Jules, right?” He asked her. 

“...yes.” Only Carmen really called her that. 

“Good to see you! I swear I know you from somewhere.” He whispered in her ear. 

“VILE’s goin for the car, I’m the last driver so we’ll get it to the truck real quick, have the truck disappear, and get it back the next morning.”

Julia nodded slightly. “I’d be careful...I’ve seen ACME here.” She whispered back. 

“I’ll let the others know.” 

* * *

“And now, people of Truro, the engineers have said they’re starting the engine for the first of 3 timed laps by our first driver!” The crowd cheered, and the engine roared to life. The car reached a temporary starting line, and was given the all clear to go. It weaved through the streets of Truro, and a large, portable jumbotron broadcast its moves through the city. Julia smiled a bit, thinking about it. How was someone even going to try and steal that thing? It’s not as if they could jump onto it…

“No way! I know you!” Another familiar face. A redheaded girl, a similar accent. Julia blinked. 

“...I...forget your name.”

“It’s not important.” She winked. “Man, I know a girl who’s gonna be glad to see you.”

“...glad?” Julia blushed. “She’s been thinking of me?”

“Day and night.” 

“Where is she?”

“She’s, uhm….workin’ right now.” Ivy walked up to her, and shook her hand. “But rest assured, she’s gonna be fine.” 

“So where are you based?” 

“Parked right by the truck.” They spoke as the engine roared past, making things less easy to hear for others. 

Ivy whispered. 

“The name is Ivy, by the way. Also, I’ve been told there’s ACME people around here. Is that you?”

“Not anymore.” 

“Oh….got it.” 

“But she’s here?”

“Yeah! In fact, if today goes well, we may as well take you to meet her.” 

“Hmm...it would be nice.” 

“Hey, look, I know you might be a bit bitter with her and all, after the whole...y’know. Not seeing you for months thing?”

“I didn’t exactly give her a chance.” Julia looked down, blushing a deep red. “I was pretty well hidden.”

“Where are you based out of?”

“I’m about 45 minutes down the road. It’s just a little seaside town, I got good money from ACME and Interpol over the years so I bought myself a-”

BAM!

“Agh!” 

* * *

A shot. People started running. Ivy looked around. “What the….holy shi-”

“We’re taking my car home.” 

“What about my van?”

“Zack can get the van.”

“What about Carm!?” 

“She...she’s smart. What’s important is that we leave before it gets too out of hand!”

Another shot rang out. Then another. Julia got into the car...a really nice one, too. How much money did she get from ACME while she was there?

A lot. That’s not important. 

She drove, and drove hard. She just found the motorway and stuck with it. 

“...who was shooting?”

“Not sure, but….oh gosh.” Ivy’s face went pale. “It could be the guy we’ve been running into.”

“You’ve been running into a  _ serial killer!?  _ Since when?”

“A few weeks ago, we think...we’re sure he’s tying up loose VILE ends to get to Carm. Doesn’t help that my communicator’s all jammed up…” She grunted. “Ugh!” 

“We’ll go back tomorrow to see if they’re th-...”

“What’s the matter?”

“I have work tomorrow. We can’t go until later.”

“Jules...I’m kinda freakin’ out here!” 

“If they’re tying up loose ends, they might know that Carmen is there...but she’s still got her team together, right? At least, some of it?”

“I...I hope so. I’m worried about Zack.”

“Your brother?”

“Yeah.” Ivy looked panicky and anxious, and her eyes were glassy, as if tears were starting to form.

Julia spoke as reassuringly as she could. “If he’s a good enough driver to end up getting picked to drive an f1 car, he’s more than good enough for getting out of a hairy situation.”


	6. SCATTER!

Carmen huffed when she heard the shot. She saw Dash Haber turn around, and look her square in the eye. 

“...that wasn’t you, was it?”

“Was it you?”

“No.”

Dash looked around, and got ready to run. “...truce?”

“I give you until the end of today to get out of here.”

“Deal!” He bolted in the opposite direction from Carmen. Carmen ran towards where she knew the van was….towards the shots. There were more of them, now. A blonde woman, in a tank top and shorts, which is odd...it’s not  _ that  _ warm outs-

That’s Zari. 

Shit, ACME is here?

They’re  _ firing guns? _

She got a quick look at the body. A former VILE operative, for sure. One she’d helped go legit. If this hit man was related to anything, it was VILE. No doubt in her mind. 

“Hey! YOU!” One of the ACME people locked eyes with her. “Get ba….wait…” 

She ran for him. The agent, clearly new, froze when he was rushed. She just tackled him to get past. She dodged a few bullets by the grace of luck, and reached the van. She got in, and saw Zack, starting it up. 

“Good timing!”

“Where’s Ivy!?”

“I dunno, she’ll find a way to the rendezvous point.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Zack as trembling. “I-I have to be…” 

As he started driving, Carmen hugged him as best as she could. “Hey...you’re gonna be fine. She’s gonna be fine, I promise you.”

“She’s resilient. She’ll be okay, I know.” Zack said, his breaths short, and his face pale and grim. “I’m still worried.”

“It’s okay to be worried.” 

“Where’s Shadowsan?” 

“He’s...he’s Shadowsan.” She said. “I’m not worried about him. He’s probably half way to the rendezvous point by now.”

* * *

Shadowsan winced when he heard the shots. He only heard one...then a few more. He saw Paperstar. He let her get away. She was too young to get caught up in a fight like this while someone was shooting at things like an idiot. 

He walked briskly away from the shots, and scratched his head. How was he gonna get to the rendezvous point? He had to think laterally, here. He couldn’t just walk. Maybe in his younger days that would have been an option, but now? I mean, he wasn’t exactly using a cane, but maybe walking all that way would be a bit too much to ask. He didn’t have much of a way around here, either. He huffed, and walked into a hotel. 

“Do you have vacancies?” 

“We do, but you know what’s going on down by the Quay?”

“Not sure. Did you hear something from there?”

“Sounded like shots.”

“I see...my hearing isn’t what it used to be. A room for...names are a bit hard.” He shrugged, smiling, “You always put the first name first here...Naoto Matsumoto.”

“Alright, Mister Matsumoto...you’ll be in 215 and we’ll have you for…”

“Oh, just tonight.” He said. He got filed in, and walked to the room. He looked out the window, towards the chaos below. He sighed, locked the door, and tried to distract himself. He saw someone among the crowd. 

“...Paper Star always does stick out like a sore thumb.” He said. He crossed his arms, and closed the curtains of the window. 

* * *

“...here we are.” Julia pulled into her small house. She stretched and sighed. “This is home, for now.”

“It’s...nice.” Ivy looked down. 

“I know you’re worried about your brother. But if you don’t mind my saying, I remember Stockholm. You’ve both come out of worse scrapes than this.”

“I know, but someone was…. _ shooting. _ ” 

“If this person is who you think it was, they were probably after one man. Those shots must have come from frantic local authorities, or ACME perhaps.”

“They shoot things now?”

“Ever since an...incident in Washington, DC.”

“Oh. So do you have, like, a gun?”

“Who’s asking?” Julia winked. “What ACME doesn’t know was taken from them probably won’t hurt them in the long run.” 

Ivy thought for a minute, silently, as she tried to assess the situation. She had to get to the rendezvous point if she was ever gonna have a chance of-

Wait. “...hey wait, this is...this is the rendezvous point! Er...not your house, but the town!”

“Oh?”

“Yeah! Which means that we’re gonna find them at some point soon if they got out!”

“I’m sure they did.” 

“I bet, yeah…” The relief of discovering the rendezvous point wore off rather quickly. “Wait...what if we’re loose ends?”

“You’re still tied to something.” Julia said. “If I were doing this sort of thing, I certainly wouldn’t be coming after active participants.” 

“I’m just scared. What if…” She started to choke up. “What if they got my brother?”

Julia hugged her, and hummed a bit. She just let her cry. Sometimes that was all you could do. She hummed, and held her there, on the couch. 

“He’ll be fine. I promise, he’ll be okay.”

“Thanks…” 

* * *

The sun was setting when Zack and Carmen got there. Being held up in the city didn’t exactly help them get there any quicker, and between trying to get back in touch with Player, and getting lost, it hadn’t been an easy drive. But they were here. 

“We’re gonna have to sleep in the van,” Zack said, “Ivy’s the one with the cash for hotels.” 

“I have hotel money, don’t worry.” 

The two were silent, almost, as they got checked into a place, paying with cash, and using fake names. Zack looked out the window. “No sign of Ivy.”

“It’s night time in a tiny town, she’s probably hold up somewhere else.”

“I’m scared.” 

“I am, too.” Carmen said. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She hugged Zack, and stood, going to slump over in one of the two beds, letting her hair down. She looked over. “Whoever is doing this wouldn’t have gone after Ivy.” She said. “If he’s tying up loose ends, he’s going for  _ loose ends _ . People who haven’t been active for a while...people who pose a threat.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ever since London, VILE has been trying to stay out of the public eye for a while. They’ve always been blood in blood out on paper, but now they’re  _ enforcing  _ it, I believe.”

“Yikes…”

“It’s pretty scary, make no mistake.” Carmen stood up and went to the bathroom to change into something more conducive to sleeping. Zack just kinda sat, staring out the window at the streets. It was his  _ sister  _ out there somewhere. He was worried. He had every right to be. He couldn’t tell what time it was when he finally drifted to sleep. 

* * *

A call came into VILE headquarters. A man spoke, softly, silently, facing his communicator’s camera out towards the night time skyline of Truro. 

“Roberts is dead. I saw Carmen. Do you want me to pursue?”

“We want her alive...for now.” Maelstrom spoke. “If she keeps acting up, or if she leaves you no choice, you have the right.”

“I understand.”

“Collector, one more thing.”

“Hmm?”

“Be more...discreet next time. You almost got caught.”

“I will be.” 

“Your next target should be given to you by the troll. Are you any closer to finding her?”

“Through these leads? It’s been troublesome. Especially when you have me kill them afterwards.” 

“If we get her mother, her real mother, we can use it to bring her back to VILE. I want you to find her, Collector.”

“...”

“ _ Connor… _ ” Maelstrom spoke through his teeth. “Is that clear?”

“Clear as can be.”

“Respond to me with words if you refuse to show your face to me.”

The call ended. 

The collector sighed, and scratched a name out of his book. He walked towards a car, driven by the cleaners. He sighed gently and spoke to one. 

“Evening.”

“Hello, collector. Was today successful?”

“A hit man’s job is never successful.” He said. “It’s just getting information that leads nowhere and killing to cover your tracks.” 

“But the hit happened?” 

“...it did.” 

“Good day in my book.” The cleaner said. 

Connor looked out the window. He  _ hated  _ this job. Just killing was one thing, but having to extract information, having to interrogate them first? It was grueling work, to say the least. He made a phone call, a very long distance one. 

“Hi, is this Ron Marr? I’m calling because I want to set up an appointment. How do I know you? I’m working with a  _ former associate of yours. _ ”


	7. Summer Grasses

_ “Summer Grasses _

_ All that remains _

_ Of soldier’s dreams” _

_ -Basho _

The moon hung heavy over Truro, fully and proudly, as Shadowsan looked around the streets for a way back to the rendezvous point. He sighed.   
“...anyone, anyone! Carmen! Ivy!”

“Player?”

“Shadowsan! What happened!? The troll jammed up the signals and I lost everyo-”

“There was a shooting. The team is scattered...probably all at the rendezvous point. It’s very late here. I might be the only one of the team awake.”

“Well...only one of your team, old man.”

Paper Star stood behind him, and crossed her arms as Shadowsan turned around to see her. He sighed heavily. 

“Come to kill an old man?”

“Killing’s not my job. That’s someone else’s department.”

“Care to tell me about them?” 

“Not really.” Paper star stood casually, letting two origami stars into her hands. “But I care to capture you.” She threw them. 

He  _ caught  _ them. He crumpled them up, and turned around. “You’re lucky. I’ve acquired a blade in the months since we last met...it’s a shame it’s with a friend.” 

“It’s a shame for  _ you _ .” She rushed him, and they grappled for a moment, before she gave way and he spun her around, almost putting her on the ground. She swept his legs from under him, and they both ended up on the pavement...but she was able to get up quicker than he could hope to. 

By the time he was up, she had run down the street quite some way, and started to climb a building. 

He sprinted to catch up, and eventually managed it, facing her on a roof. “No way down but the door, Paper Star.” He said. “Unless you’re brave enough to try for the other roof.” 

“I can get into that access door, old man, just watch.” When she went for the access door, he smirked. As she ran, he jumped to the top of the roof access structure, and dropped down on her. She granted as she hit the ground, but was careful to keep her head from hitting the hard floor. He picked her up. 

“Tell me who’s been killing former VILE personnel.” 

“Not in your life.” She squirmed from his grip. “Not like you’ve got much of it left anyhow.”

“All of this fighting ends in one way.” He said, throwing kicks that kept getting blocked, until landing one square in her chest. She had to regain her balance and fall forward to keep from going off the roof. 

“Death.”

“I’m not afraid of that.” She said. 

“No one as young as you is afraid, until they’re dying.” He went to grapple, but she let her heavy platformed shoe connect with his chest, and watched as he fell back. He winced and caught his breath. 

“That’s great, gramps. But I’m still not telling you what’s up. What’re you going to do if I don’t tell you, anyway?” 

“Something you’re apparently not afraid of.” He pushed her to the edge once more, and she huffed, ducking from one of his punches and punching his stomach. He keeled over, but quickly turned to face her, and stopped one of her punches with a kick, before flipping over and landing on her foot, forcing her to kneel. He picked her up by the shoulders, and held her over the edge. He saw her face run cold. 

“I-I….don’t do this.” 

“You’re not afraid, are you?”

“ _ Please!  _ I-I...I’ll tell you whatever you want!”

“Who is killing people?” 

“A-anything but that…” She was hyperventilating. 

“My arms aren’t what they used to be…” 

“Uuugh….h-he’s called the collector! He’s trying to find out who someone was! That’s ALL I know!” She was tearing up. 

Shadowsan nodded, and let her back onto the roof, setting her down. He rested his arms, and sighed, heaving in breaths. She huffed, laying down, glad to be on solid ground. She looked up at the moon. 

“...would you have killed me?” 

“In my younger days? You would be dead.” He said. “When I was young, I was like many criminals at that age. Every life seemed cheap. Every life but mine.” 

She didn’t respond. She just curled up. 

“I was rude to you….I cannot take that back now.” He patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry.” 

She sat up. “It’s alright. This has been…” She regained her composure. “This has been a learning experience.” She said. She looked up again, at the moon. 

“It’s bright.” She said.

“Very bright.” He replied, as if just to say something, to fill the air.

“I do a lot of work at night.” She stood up. “I rarely get to notice it...busy life, isn’t it?”

“It is.” He huffed as he stood. “Tonight has reminded me of a poem by a man named Basho.” 

“The one about summer grasses?”

“You’re familiar with his work.” He smiled. 

“A little.” She said. “...I’m not the biggest fan of VILE going around and killing these people.” She added. “It just seems like they’re begging for trouble. Stolen goods can be stolen back.” 

“Lives can only be stolen back so many times before no one is left.” Shadowsan said. 

“...I’m calling a truce with you and Team Red. For now.” She said, heading for the roof access door. 

“One final favor.” 

“Hmm?” 

“Where’s this man striking next?” 

“Beats me.” She said. “He’s only doing this with Maelstrom’s approval, I think...I’d have to ask him.” 

“Do you know who he’s looking for?”

“Again, not sure. All I know is that there’s a car rental place down the road that’s getting me back to my next drop off point.”

“Do you plan on giving the car back?”

“What do you think?” She scoffed, and walked down the stairs. He gave her a bit of time to leave, and sat on the roof, looking up. 

* * *

“ We didn’t manage to get the car.” Paper Star said, speaking to Maelstrom. “Looks like Carmen’s little team is a little strung out right now. They got scattered. All I found was the old man.”

“Hmm..unfortunate. Still, our grander operation was a success. Roberts was killed.” 

“Why’re we killing people again?’ 

“Because they asked too many questions.” Maelstrom quipped. “Anything else?” 

“...no.” She hung up. 

“Maelstrom,” Countess Cleo looked over, “I’m worried about your little escapades with the collector. Surely he’s skilled, but this might be the most hair brained scheme yet.” 

“We need to get Black Sheep back here before she gets us routed. I don’t care what it takes.”

“Do we need her real mother? We can’t just...dress someone up for the role?” 

“If we find her mother, we get her. She’s too smart for us to pull at her emotions without getting the real thing.” 

“That’s all fine and good, skip,” Coach Brunt spoke, “But maybe killin’ people’s a little far?”

“VILE is  _ blood in and blood out.  _ End of story.” 

“So is Carmen Blood in or blood out?” She furrowed a brow. 

“Carmen is a VITAL part of any operation! She has bested us and lost us millions, billions of dollars! If we could have her back, brain washed, what sort of power might we have?”

“I agree she must be brought back alive, but this is perhaps too fa-”

“You’re all upset because you can’t see my VISION!” Maelstrom  _ slammed  _ his hands on the desk. “You’re all too tied up in  _ honor  _ this and  _ morals  _ that. Do you want to make money or become slaves to your own moral hang ups!?”

No answers. 

He left his chair. “I’ll be in my room, cooling off.” 

As the door shut behind him, Bellum spoke. “Now that- _ that- _ conversation is out of the way, Cleo mentioned a hit.”

“Ah, yes.” Cleo smirked. “Do you remember, ages ago, when we tried for something at the Ohio University?”

“Yep. Tried to steal some sorta monument weapons?” 

“And it was horribly botched?” Bellum asked. 

“Indeed. Well, my associate, Dash Haber, has another idea. He has a buyer who just so happens to want a very rare book. The second edition of Charles Burney’s ‘General History of Music from the Earliest Ages to the Present Period.” 

“...yer buyer wants a music history textbook? What’s that, like...200 bucks? Hardly justifies the price.” Coach Brunt said. 

“This music history textbook just so happens to have been printed in 1789. It’s complete, and it just so happens that our buyer is willing to put up rather big money for it, and the rest of the school’s special collections.” 

“I see...how much are we thinking here?” 

“Oh, not so much…only millions of dollars, provided he can also get the priceless letters, essays, recordings...it’s quite the treasure trove.” 

“Well…” Coach brunt shrugged. “It’s no race car, but I figure this is a good chance for the Eel and that Mime boy to redeem themselves.”

“Splendid. I’ll hatch a plan, and we’ll see what happens to those books.” She smirked. “I suppose that’s all we need to do for tonight…”

“Night, all.” 

“So long.” 

As the other two left, Cleo looked at that empty fifth chair. She ran her finger on the table. “...still empty.” She checked her fingernails, casually, and stood, pushing her chair in, and walking out. “...it’d be an odd number if we voted Maelstrom out.” She huffed. 

“I’d never be able to sail that boat.” 

The in fighting at VILE could possibly be its downfall. Ever since London, Maelstrom’s been more paranoid. Cleo felt she’d have to do something about it. 

But for now? It was time to sleep. A countess needs her beauty sleep, after all. 


	8. Order for Red?

The morning brought with it sun, glinting off of the water, and a breeze. Ivy woke up on a couch. She rubbed her eyes, and looked around. She stood, stretched, cracked a few joints, and grunted, walking to the kitchen, and finding a note. 

“Ivy,

At work. Be back at 3. Stop by John Rathman’s if you want to come and see me. Otherwise, the food in the fridge is fair game. When I get back we’ll see if we can find Carmen.

-Julia  ♥ ”

Ivy smiled a bit, and looked around. Didn’t seem to be too much, save for some stuff that was clearly thawing out for later that evening. there had to be somewhere to get breakfast in town. 

Maybe that little cafe she mentioned. There’s gotta be something at least...somewhat recognizable there, right? I mean, sure England is pretty odd, but something’s gotta be-

She looked at the clock. Wow. It was 11:00 in the morning, huh? 

She set out of the house, and headed for town. Had to be a place for lunch somewhere. The same thought process started over again in her head, as she walked through the streets, looking for something to eat. 

* * *

Meanwhile, Zack was still sitting in the room, slumped in the chair by the window. He rubbed his eyes, got up, went to the bathroom, showered, and came out of the shower fully dressed and dried off. “So, Carm, are we-”

He looked around. Just where had  _ Carmen  _ gone off to?

He decided to try and find something to eat, as he walked outside. He figured the only way to find Ivy was to look. He walked around town, and sighed, breathing in the air. He could smell the sea, even from up here. He walked down the hill, towards what _had_ to be a restaurant of sorts. It had tables, a sign that he couldn’t quite read from here, Ivy sitting out front, a-  
IVY. 

He rushed down the hill, and huffed when he got to the bottom, barely stopping himself from falling flat on his face. He ran to the shop. “Ivy!”

“Huh?” Ivy looked up, and gasped. “BRO!” She stood and let him run into her, hugging him tight. She sighed. “Oh lord, I was worried sick about you!” 

“I was too! I barely got any sleep last night.” 

“Me neither!” 

“How did you get here?”

“Jules  _ lives  _ here.”

“...you’re joking.” 

“Not at all! How about you?”

“Carmen, but...she’s gone. Van’s still here though.” He finally caught his breath. “I’m just glad you’re safe….and that this is a restaurant.” 

“Hungry?”

“Starved.”

* * *

It was slow. Deathly slow, in fact. Julia was talking with her manager, in the back, when someone came back to find her. 

“Julia, I’ve got an order for you, someone wants you specifically to make it.”

“...who?”

“Didn’t say.” 

“Did you tell them I was here?” 

“I didn’t, no. I figured they knew already, if they were asking.” 

“...if you say so.” She read the ticket, and started to make things it was just a mocha, nothing seriously hard. Her manager spoke. 

“Julia, this is the only customer we’ve had all day, I think we might send you home after this one. Is that alright?”

“Fine with me.” She smiled a bit. “I put in a lot of hours last week.” 

“Righto.” The man replied. 

She hummed a bit as she made things, getting everything ready. She looked around the shop when it was finished, putting it carefully on the counter. 

“Order for...Red?”

Julia could never forget what she saw. 

She had her hair down. She wore a red pullover hoodie, and blue jeans, the cuffs of which were rolled up to reveal high top black cons. It was a simple outfit, even more simple than Julia’s own outfit of a black blouse and khaki pants, with working shoes. 

_ And Carmen still looked beautiful.  _

“Thanks…” She took the cup. “Your manager said something about you clocking out…?”

“I….eh, well…” She nodded. “Let me just do that.” She was flustered and blushing deep. She hung up her apron, rushed through getting signed out, and got out from behind the counter, walking out the front door, where Carmen was waiting. She just looked her in the eye. 

“Carmen…”

“So, I guess this means you’re not working for ACME anymore, huh?” 

“Not at all.” She said. “I-I know where Ivy is-”

“She and Zack reunited, they’re back at the hotel. I was hoping, though, while we wait for another team member, that I could...spend the night at your place?” 

“I…” 

“Yes?” She smirked. 

“Of course.” She said. “It’s this way.” 

Carmen remembered Jules being a bit more physical than this. At the very least, she would normally hold her hand as they walked to the small house. But she knew what was going on when she saw Jules fumble with the key. 

“You seem nervous.” 

“I’m...I’m nervous. A lot of other things, too. But nervous.” 

“Jules, I’m sorry about the whole disappearing act thing, I-”

Jules dragged her into the house, slammed the door shut behind her, and kissed her deeply, letting a soft moan escape her. Carmen gasped, and retuned the kiss, putting Jules up against the wall. 

“This isn’t going to be some one night a year thing. I don’t want a repeat of the last 6 months.” She said. “I need to be with you.” Carmen kissed her again, kissing her neck. Jules quivered. 

“C-Carmen, I...I would love that. I would love everything, but-”

“What’s stopping you?” She asked. 

“I just  _ can’t  _ do what I used to anymore. It’s too fast paced, too intense.” 

“Jules, I can’t just hang everything up and live in Cornwall.”

“What’s the matter with Cornwall?” She asked. “It’s nice here.” 

“Jules, c’mon, you know that’s not what I meant.” Carmen giggled and smiled, letting her thumb move across Jules’ cheek. “Being in love might be...hard, is what I’m getting.”

“Just a little.” Jules nodded. “You might want to let me out from under you.” She said. 

“Oh! Uhm...heh, yeah, I, uh...should’ve asked if you liked being pinned to walls beforehand.” 

“If it’s you, it’s not so bad.” 

“I see.” Carmen looked around. “Jules, I know that you probably don’t want to get back into stuff, but...I need to know that you’re safe for the next few months, at least.”

“Is it to do with that serial killer?” 

“How did you guess?” 

Jules sat down with her on the couch, and sighed, leaning against her. “If you want me to be close, I will go on a few missions with you...just to help you catch this killer.” She said. 

“I promise I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.” 

“Thanks, Carmen Sandiego.” 

“Of course.” Carmen kissed her once more. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Jules said. “Even if I end up living in Cornwall for the rest of my life. Which, again, not such a bad place.” She said. “You can come and visit from time to time, too. Maybe more often than 6 months between visits, though.” 

“Oh, definitely. I’ve been thinking of increasing time between missions, too, it’s just getting to be a lot, especially for Shadowsan.” 

“Is he the older man I’ve seen you with?”

“Yep. And his body’s definitely built for retirement, even if his spirit isn’t. We won’t stop doing stuff, just...do stuff less often.” She said. “That, and...it seems like VILE is slowing down, too.” 

“Are they, really?” 

“Yep.” Carmen nodded. “Something's up there...can’t be good for VILE.” Carmen looked at Jules, and kissed her once more. “That’s probably not what you’re interested in, is it?” 

“Honestly, no.” Jules stood up. “It’s been a long time, Carmen...I just want to hold you.” 

“Jules, I’m so sorry it’s been so long, but-”

“I know. I’m hard to find, you’re busy, it’s complicated.” 

Carmen kissed her again, and held her as tight as she could. “I don’t want to lose you. I just….I  _ love  _ you too much.” 

“You aren’t going to lose me.” Jules kissed her over and over again, a hand drifting under Carmen’s hoodie. “I won’t let go. No matter how far away you are, I won’t let go.”

“Jules…” 

* * *

The morning broke. It brought with it clouds, but no rain, and harsher wind. Jules woke up next to Carmen, kissing her cheek. She felt Carmen stir, and saw her roll over, groggily yawning and opening her eyes. 

“Jules…” She kissed her softly, and held her under the covers. “You’re too pretty, it’s blinding me.” Carmen winced. 

“I’m sure it’s just light.” Julia said. “I need to shower, you left lipstick all over me.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“I need to  _ clean off _ , Carmen.” Jules said. 

“Right. Question still stands. I wouldn’t dream of doing that sort of thing without asking.” 

“I know you wouldn’t...just making sure you weren’t asking.” Jules stood, and cracked a few joints. She walked to the bathroom, and heard Carmen walk in after her, getting things started. Carmen heard something from the bedroom. 

“...I’ll be right back.” 

Carmen rushed over, and grabbed her earpiece, putting it in. It was working. 

“...come in, Red! Where are you?”

“I’m here. I’m at Jules’ house….don’t turn on any camera stuff, it won’t work.”

“Shows that it’s all clear to me. None of it's facing you though, but-”

“I’m in a... _ compromising  _ position.” 

Player spoke through chuckles. “Alright, then...let us know when you’re uncompromised. I got news of some VILE activity. Shadowsan made it to the rendezvous point, and Ivy and Zack are there with the van.” 

“Can Jules come along, too?” 

“Sure can.” 

“...deal. Let us shower, and I’ll fill her in.” 

“See you then.” 


	9. The Bobcat Caper, Part 1

_ “Alma Mater, Ohio, Alma Mater, brave and fair! _

_ Alma Mater, we hail thee, For we own thy kindly care. _

_ Alma Mater, Ohio, When we read thy story o’er, _

_ We revere thee, and cheer thee as we Sing thy praise once more.” _

_ -Ohio University Alma Mater _

The rain was hard on the van. 

“Watch it, bro,” Ivy said, looking over at Zack, “It feels like you hit something!”

“I didn’t hit anything! The road’s just so bumpy!”

“That’s because the road up Court Street is laid with bricks.” Player said. “It’s a tribute to the Athens Brick Company, a local foundry that used to make bricks. Other than the Ohio University, that’s what Athens, Ohio is known for.”

“Well they could have laid them a bit better.” Zack said. 

“You know, a lot of students steal the bricks when they graduate.” Carmen said. “Be glad we’re going after sheet music and books, not bricks.” 

The two turned down the road. “Alright, Player? Hit us with the plan.” 

“Carmen, with classes starting so soon, it makes sense that you, an enterprising graduate student, would want to see the music building beforehand. That’s how you’re gonna slip in. I’ve already rigged a dummy ID card to swipe into Glidden Hall.”

“Gotcha.” 

“Zack, I’m dropping you near the music building too. All you have to do is wait for the van. Jules and Ivy, you’re taking the van and heading towards Baker center. That’s where Dash Haber is waiting. I’m posing you two as his contacts to oversee the goods. Then, Zack, you ‘steal’ the van, and Shadowsan offers them a ride.”

“I’ll make sure Dash Haber doesn’t want to do business in Athens again.” Shadowsan said. 

Jules looked outside, and gasped. “Oh, dear.”

“What’s the matter?” Carmen looked back. 

“It appears that there are some ACME agents...it must be Zari and Chase.”

“What makes you say that?”

“If that’s not Chase driving, I wouldn’t know  _ who  _ it was.” She said. “He’s never been particularly...defensive.” 

Carmen looked over. “No, he...he certainly hasn’t been.” 

Carmen and Zack got out. “You go down the hill, and wait by the parking lot near the dance building. I’ll swipe in and get to the music library.” She said. 

“Deal...can I at least wait inside? It’s a little rainy out there, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Sure.” 

She let him stay inside, and she stretched a bit, walking up the hallway, to the elevator, and pressing 5. She waited. Someone got on at the 4th floor. 

“Practicing?” 

“Getting some reading done.”

“Hmm.”

“First year?”

“Nah, third. You a new grad student?”

“Yeah, history.” 

The door opened on the fifth floor. “Here I am.” 

“See ya.” 

“Yep.” 

Carmen walked off and turned towards the music library. She very carefully picked the lock. “Okay, player. I’n position. What do I do with the books?” 

“Wait until we’ve got haber out of the picture.” 

“Deal...I hear something in the vents. Can you pin that down?”

* * *

Jules drove the van for a bit, to Baker. “It’s a bit odd how the roads work around here.”

“Yeah, well, I guess they designed the place before cars were a thing.” Ivy shrugged. 

“I’ll make myself scarce.” She hid in the back of the van. “Any idea where Shadowsan went?”

“He’s off doing...something. Apparently distracting the mime.” 

As they pulled up to the crosswalk at Baker, they saw him. Jules rolled down the window. “Dash.”

“...you’re my contact?” Dash smirked. “I like when they send pretty ones.” 

Jules shuddered a bit, but went along with it. “So, we’re just in and out, getting the documents?”

“Yep. Plenty of space in there, shouldn’t be an issue...where are we dropping them?”

“Our buyer is in Coolville.”

“ _ Coolville?  _ There’s a place just...called that?”

“It’s remote. He wants a remote location.” 

“Hmm.”

The three of them got to the parking lot behind the dance building, and parked. “This is it.” 

“This is the dance building.” 

“The music building is that big, imposing, brutalist thing right up there.” 

Dash looked up. “Ahh...I see.” 

They heard rustling, then a door shutting, then an engine starting. “Ah! Shit…” 

“What?” 

“That was the  _ van.  _ How are we going to get anything?” 

“We can make a few trips,” Jules said, seeming a bit nervous, playing into the role of an overwhelmed contact very well. 

“Hey, bud, easy, it’s not like we’re gonna have your head over a car getting stolen. With the money we’re making, you can have all the vans you-”

WHAM!

Dash fell to the ground. Shadowsan wiped his hands, and looked over. “The mime is also in the car. If anyone asks, they’re piss drunk and need rides home.” 

“Right…” Jules nodded. “I think Zack and Ivy are both with the van. That leaves Carmen.”

* * *

“...which would be foolish! There is no possible way Sandiego is here simply for sheet music and books, if they are just going to show up in the hands of the university again!”

“Chase,” Zari sighed and rolled her eyes, “It’s not as if we’re sure that’s going to be the case.”

“Oh, of course we’re not sure, it only happens  _ every time we do this!”  _ Chase Devineaux was not happy about this job. There was an offer for a bust in Italy...beautiful, sunny, warm Italy! And he was stuck here, chasing phantoms in the night, and red thieves that never did any true harm. He was a bit fed up. “I am not even allowed to stop in for food at the diner, or anything at any bars! It is a  _ college  _ town, Zari, they could at least let me drink!”

“You’re on the clock, Devineaux.” She said. “And if it weren’t for your shenanigans in Truro-”

“You mean if it weren’t for your missing the target in Truro and hitting 2 unoccupied cars and a lamp post?” 

“Oh, shut up, you know I was surprised.” 

Devineaux laid on the horn. “IT IS GREEN, YOU IMBECILE!” He grunted. “We’ve been driving around in circles all night,are you SURE you know your way around here?” 

“I swear this is the music building.” Zari said. 

“...Zari, your sense of direction is, how you say,  _ bullshit.  _ This is the library.”

Zari looked down at the map. She sighed deeply. “Okay.” She looked closer. “We need to keep going, right turn, then another right, then through the light and go left at...Jennings.”

“How have we been missing this?”

“Because you keep getting  _ distracted  _ and missing  _ turns,  _ chase.” 

“I’m beginning to think neither of us are particularly great at driving TO places.” Devineaux said. 

“I think it’s just your poor sense of direction.” 

“I’m sorry,  _ my  _ poor sense of direction? Remember what happened in Columbus? We were halfway to  _ Cleveland  _ before we realized it was the wrong w-”

The chief phoned in on the car’s screen, and the two of them shut up quickly. 

“Devineaux. Zari. What’s the situation?”

“We’re at the music building now. We were...sidetracked.”

“RIght. Reports say that Sandiego was sighted near there, and heading towards the music building via the 4th floor. There’s also an entrance down the hill, where we’ve posted guards. There’s no way she’s getting out of this one.”

“Very well.” Zari said. “We’ll have her once and for all.” 

Devineaux stayed silent, until the transmission ended. He sighed. “...I think Miss Argent was right.”

“Hmm?”

“About Carmen Sandiego’s true intentions. There is no doubt in my mind she is trying to stop VILE.” 

“Chase, don’t be ridiculous. She’s a  _ criminal. _ It’s not as if-”

“Maybe you have never known a true criminal before, Zari. They do not behave like this. Also, she seems to want to flirt quite a bit with the now absent Argent.” 

Zari giggled. “You’re defending her because she has a crush on your friend?”

“I’m defending her for  _ more  _ than that! But...eh, I enjoy a good love story.” 

The two of them waited in the car, ready to block her in if the need arose. 

* * *

“...player, I  _ still  _ hear something in the vents.”

“You might have to deal with it on your own. I’ve got people en route to the bottom of the music building, and they’re probably gonna give the others a hard time.” 

Carmen sighed, and heard the vent cover pop open. She saw Neal the Eel slip out of it. “Well….Carmen!” Neal spoke. “Fancy meeting you here!”

“Hello, neal...geez, surrounded by all this music.” She said. “And yet, no dancing.”

“Well...I think we’ll dance plenty.” Neal stanced up. 

“I think we will.”


	10. The Bobcat Caper, Part 2

Neal the Eel was the first to lunge. He went for a cart, and started piling books onto it, huffing, before Carmen kicked him in the back of the knee, making him lose balance and fall. She put her foot on his chest, but he slid out from under her, and got back up, jabbing her throat. As she readjusted and got her air back, she leapt and grabbed him, putting her hands around his neck and dragging him to the ground. He winced. 

“You….wouldn’t….dare…” 

“....I wouldn’t.” She let go of him, and picked him up. She grabbed a heavy looking book from off the shelf, and hit him in the back of the head with it. He went down on the floor. 

“Yikes, red.” Player spoke over the earpiece. 

“He’s still breathing. He’s fine.”

“I’m….still….awake.” He tried to get up, but she picked him up. 

“You feel concussed?” 

“No actually, I feel….fine.” he said. “A little disoriented, but fine.” 

“Feel like giving up?” She asked. “Because I’ll find a heavier book.”

He paused for a moment. “...giving up seems like a good option.” 

“I’m sure it does.” 

“Red, we got a problem.” Player said, as Carmen grabbed some rope, and bound up a defeated looking Eel. “ACME is guarding both exits.” 

“Crap…” She sighed. “What happened to Jules and Shadowsan?” 

“They’re working the problem.” 

* * *

“...those are ACME cars.” Jules said. “They’re onto us.” 

“I have a plan.” Shadowsan said. “It involves me borrowing your gun.”

“How’d you know I had-”

“Just let me borrow it.” 

Shadowsan took it from her, and hid behind an alley. “Here’s the plan…”

The ACME agents walked along the path, heading for the building. 

“...hey, you! Give me your wallet!”   
“What!?”

“I’m a desperate man, don’t make me do anything rash.” 

“Okay, okay, just…” 

The ACME agents looked over. One shrugged to the other. “May as well pursue.” 

“Deal.”

As the two rounded the corner, Shadowsan was waiting for them. He hit one over the head with the gun, and Jules slammed the other against a wall. “You saw  _ nothing. _ ” 

“I-I-”   
“ _ Nothing.”  _ She punched the man in the face, knocking him out in one go. 

“All the guards are done for. We’re getting ready to dump the VILE operatives at the drop off point...where’s Carmen?” 

As they asked Player, Carmen rushed out of the back door, shouldering Neal the Eel. She threw him in the back of the waiting car. “Where’re Zack and Ivy?” 

“They’re distracting the guards up front.” 

* * *

“...Hey, you two!” Someone knocked on the window of Chase and Zari’s car. It was a woman with a thick, bostonian accent. 

“What?” Devineaux rolled down the window. 

“What are you doing parked here, waiting?” 

“We aren’t allowed to?”

“What, it’s not a bit suspicious?” The woman was wearing a campus police uniform. 

_ Uh-oh.  _

“Look, we’re just waiting for-”

“We have a witness that says you been waiting here for 30 minutes. You wanna tell me exactly  _ what  _ it is you’re waiting for?”

“Well, eh...you see, there’s...there’s this…”

“Speak up. What are you waiting for, the second comin’ a’ christ? Move on.” 

“Look, buddy, we’re-”

“I said  _ scram!”  _ The woman said. “And be glad I’m not hauling you in for attempted trafficking.” 

“...fine.” Chase moved the car. Ivy walked back into the van, and high fived Zack, as she took off the jacket to reveal her actual clothes underneath. 

“You make a scary cop, sis.” 

“Not hard.” She said. “Just gotta be all yelly and shouty. They never wanna make a scene.” 

Player got in touch as they spoke. “Hey, you two. Carmen and the others have dropped the car of VILE operatives off, and it looks like they’re headed back to where they came from. Apparently they’re being recalled anyway. Too much VILE presence in the area.”

“Too much? Is 3 people too much?” Zack asked, as he turned in the direction of Carmen, Jules, and Shadowsan. 

“Apparently.” 

“...I don’t like it.” Zack said. 

“I don’t, either. Sounds suspicious…” 

They reached the rendezvous point, and Carmen, Shadowsan, and Jules waved them down. They piled into the van. 

“Phew...god, it’s wet out there.” Jules said, rubbing her eyes, and cleaning her glasses as best as she could with her sweater. 

“Here,” Carmen undid her jacket, and let Jules use her shirt. It was an awful lot dryer. 

“So too much VILE, huh?”

“Yeah.” Carmen said. “So we still need to be on high alert.” She looked out the window when Jules was done cleaning her glasses. “Too many is 4 or more...there were only 3 of them when we left. And Dash is  _ still  _ unconscious, so really only 2.” 

“Yikes...I guess they got an exfil team?”

“That’s normally the cleaners, and they don’t tend to be listed.” Carmen peered out of the van. “...the hitman guy.” 

“He’s called the collector.” Shadowsan said “He’s apparently employed by VILE. It’s unclear to me whether he’s an independent contractor, or if he’s full time.” 

“Shit.” Carmen huffed under her breath, and her grip on Jules’ hand got a bit tighter. Jules looked up at her. 

“You’ll be fine, Carmen...we’ll be just fine.” 

The van was stopped on court street. It was flagged down by someone...looking for directions. 

“Shit, that’s ACME people, everyone hunker down.” Zack said. He pulled into a parallel parking spot, just to get out of the way of the road.

A blonde woman with an umbrella came to the window. “We’re looking for 33.” 

“33? Uhh...yeah, get to the end of Court Street, turn right, get to Stimson, and then it’ll take you right to it.” 

“...thanks.” 

“Sure.” As the woman got back to her car, Zack started to pull away. He heard something. 

“Was that a scream?”

Ivy looked down the alley near them. “...guys, that’s the collector.” 

Carmen jumped for her jacket and undid her seatbelt, rushing for the door of the van. Shadowsan was too late to stop her. She rushed out, and saw him. She looked him in the eye. 

He was a tall man. Pale, seemed to have Maelstrom’s nose, but someone else’s eyes. He wasn’t very old looking, though. He actually looked about the same age as Paper Star, really. He spoke. 

“...Evening.” He said, pulling a knife out of a body. “This man may’ve known too much...I was just making sure he wasn’t gonna let you know about it.” 

“Who are you?”

“I’m the collector.” He booted the body away, and the heavy rain caused the blood to run down the hill of the alley. “I’m just collecting information, as one does.” 

He stepped into the light. Shadowsan was behind Carmen now, as was Zack. 

“...you’re not getting away with this.” Carmen said. 

“Says who?”


	11. Shock of Lightning

_ “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying “I am innocent of the blood of this just person. See ye to it.”  _

_ -The Gospel, According to Matthew, 27:24 (KJV) _

The Collector turned to leave, but an over-excited Carmen grabbed him by the neck. He still had a knife in his hands, and she knew that. She dodged a stray stab, but he used the momentum to swing her around. She slammed against the brick wall of the building next to them. 

“Carmen!” Jules got out of the van, and aimed her gun at him. The collector just ducked and got her by the legs. She hit the pavement hard, just narrowly avoiding hitting her head. The wind was knocked out of her, as Shadowsan went in for a strike, grabbing his new sword. He tangled with him, but eventually was backed into a corner. The collector smirked. 

“I’ve done this for a living for a long time, old man.” He said, pushing him, knocking him off his balance. 

“Age brings experience, but also weakness.” He was about to drive his knife into him, when-

_ “La, la la, lala~”  _

“...I told you to leave me alone.” 

“You know I found that strange. You never want me to leave you alone.” 

“What’s with you and the questions?” 

Paper Star emerged from the alley, looking over the situation. She checked her nails, casually. “Just a curious kinda girl, y’know?” She pulled out a star. “Let them go.” 

“Are you fucking  _ mental?”  _ He asked. "Normally, I trust you with this sort of thing, but that's not a great choice."

“If your goal is to-"

“ _ Shut the  _ **_fuck_ ** _ up about my goals.  _ They’re right there.” 

“Make me.” 

He got up from Shadowsan. “I will.” 

Carmen looked on. “Paper Star, he  _ kills  _ people. You don’t know what you’re getting into.” 

“Can it, Blacksheep. I know exactly what I’m getting into. Connor and I go back a bit.” 

Carmen tried to attack the Collector from behind, grabbing him, and putting him into a full nelson. He dropped his knife, and Paper Star got in a few jabs on him, before he kicked her down, and stomped  _ hard  _ on Carmen’s foot. Carmen winced, and let him go. He attempted to climb up one of the buildings via a dumpster, but Jules dissuaded him, grabbing her gun off the pavement, and taking some pot shots. He held a gun back at her, and shot. She didn’t get hit, but she did have enough sense to move away. 

Shadowsan did not. 

He grabbed the end of the Collector’s trenchcoat and pulled him back down. As he gasped for breath, Paper Star spoke. 

“What are you killing people for? Why did you kill this man, and why were you hunting for  _ Sonia?”  _

Sonia? 

“I-I…” he heaved in air. “This man knew a few contacts. Sonia knew Carmen, and she might have known about Project Albatross.” 

“What is  _ Project Albatross?”  _ Paper Star asked. 

“Y-you’re violating EVERY rule that VILE has by doing thi-”

“ _ What. is. It.”  _

“I-it’s a retrieval program for….for Blacksheep.” 

Carmen looked over. “Retrieval program?” 

“I-it’s to make you join again.” 

“How do they plan on doing that?” Carmen asked. 

“...however they need to.” He grabbed his knife, and stabbed Paper Star’s leg. She lifted her leg, and winced in pain, falling backwards. “And now, you know too much.” 

“Shadowsan, help Paper Star. Jules, GET IN THE VAN.” 

“I can-”

“Van.  _ Now. _ ” 

“...Carmen, you’re going to hate me for this.” 

Shadowsan went to stand in front of Paper Star, but it was too late. The Collector shoved him out of the way. He stabbed Paper Star. 

Hard. 

She gasped, as he drove the knife in, his eyes wide, but...full of tears. Luckily, for him, the rain hid them. He stabbed so hard the knife  _ bent. _ He looked her in the eye, and just shook his head. 

“...I am so, so sorry…” He mouthed the words. He wasn’t sure she saw them before she hit the ground.

Jules managed to get a shot into his arm before she ran out of ammunition. He crawled back down the alley, and into a car that must’ve been driven by the cleaners. 

“He’s gone.” 

“...Paper Star?” Shadowsan looked over at her. She was clutching her chest. 

He picked her up, and ran quickly to the van. They all got in. “Player, get us somewhere to stay, and do you still have those dossiers?”

“For VILE? Yeah, what’s up?”

“Find me Paper Star’s birthplace if you can.” 

“...on it.” 

* * *

“...did you kill him?”

“I did. It’s done.” The Collector spoke. 

“Good. We’re so close…”

“I have bad news, Maelstrom.” 

“What?” 

“Paper Star went rogue. She tried to get information about Albatross.” 

“...did you do what had to be done?’ 

“...”

“Connor, speak to me.”

Connor winced when the mandate was applied by one of the cleaners. 

“It was done.” He spoke, his voice choking up. 

“...Did she scream? I always figured she’d be a scre-”

“Piss off, dickhead.” He harshly hissed the words at Maelstrom.

“What sort of a hit man are you, that you can barely kill a friend when you need to?”

“What sort of  _ father  _ are you anyway, You fucking filthy piece of  _ pig shit!? _ ”

“I beg your pardon?” Maelstrom seemed taken aback. 

“You  _ made  _ me do this. You’re scum. Nothing but fucking  _ scum. _ ” He wasn’t even looking at the communicator as he spoke. “I hope you get hit by a bus and live to pay the fucking bills.” 

“You’re going soft, aren’t you?” 

“I’m not going soft!” He barked. “You’ve never even touched a gun, a knife,  _ anything!  _ You don’t have to  **_live_ ** with the pain I do! You’re a coward, a scoundrel and a coward, and I hope and pray your funeral comes soon so I can spit on your urn and shatter it against the ground!”

“...you’re just hungry.” 

“Shut up. Where’s the next target?”

“Germany.” 

“...consider it done.” Connor punched the communicator. He looked over at the others, Dash, Neal, and Mime Bomb. He furrowed a brow. 

“What’s got you three here?’ 

“Trying to steal some music stuff.” Neal said. “SO, ehh, bad times with yer father, eh?” 

“Your dad ever make you kill 14 people in a row?”

“Least you  _ knew  _ your dad.” Neal said. 

“I dunno, I’d like it better if I could imagine he was a good person.” The rest of the ride was dead silent. Between two people who’d very nearly been concussed, a teenager with blood on his hands, and a mime, they didn’t have an awful lot to talk about. 

Not that any conversation would have been pleasant, anyhow. 


	12. Cold

_ “Against our will comes wisdom, through the awful grace of god.” _

_ -Aeschylus _

Shadowsan and Carmen held their hands over Paper Star. She was heaving in air, and wincing. 

“I-it hurts…” 

“I know it does.” Carmen wrapped her coat around the wound, and Paperstar just looked around. 

“I knew him…” She said. “He was my friend.” 

“Do you know where he might go off to?”

“I...don’t know.” She said. “I’m not sure. H-he’s probably not sure eitherrrrraah!” She gasped. “I-I can’t feel my legs…” 

“Shit.” Carmen looked her in the eye. “Look, Paper Star, you’re going to be fine, okay? Just-”

“Carmen.” Shadowsan looked at her. “I will handle this.” He said. Carmen nodded, and went to the front of the van, as Zack and Ivy desperately drove. 

“...H-his name is Connor Maelstrom.” She said. “He’s...Maelstrom’s son.” 

“Really?”

“I-I know more about Albatross than he thought….ah…” She winced. 

“What is it?”

“They’re looking for Carmen’s mother and covering their tracks s-so….agh...so they can get her back.” 

“I see.” Shadowsan said. He looked at her. “I must admit, there isn’t much we can do. There were parts hanging  _ out  _ of you by the time you got into the van.”

“I know.” 

He held her, holding his hands over the wound, so at least she’d have a bit more time to speak. 

“...I’m gonna die, huh?” 

“You are.” He said. “You’re going to be returned to the earth. Your body shall become summer grasses.”

“All that’s left of soldier’s dreams.” 

He sighed. “It’s a shame that is the most familiar of his works to us.” 

She nodded. “...I’m scared.” 

“I know.” 

“What happens next?”

“You’ll have to find that out on your own.” 

“...I-I know I have a living mom somewhere. In rural Japan. That’s all I know.” She said. 

“We will find her, and try our best to return your remains.” Shadowsan said. “You won’t be buried in the middle of nowhere, I assure you.” 

“Thank you.” She looked up at him, and put a hand on his cheek. As the hand left his face, a bloodied handprint was left. 

“I can feel it.” She said. “It’s...cold.” 

“Death?” 

“It’s cold...my...my blanket.” 

“Your blanket?” 

“My blanket, teacher. Can I get it?” 

Shadowsan furrowed a brow. He remembered she was sickly when she was young. She always had some sort of blanket, or thick jacket with her. He just...nodded. “Of course.” 

She closed her eyes, and hummed that tune, that all too familiar tune. She heaved out one final breath. 

“She’s gone.” Shadowsan said, glumly. 

“Carmen…” Jules hugged her tight. “I don’t know if you were close, but...I’m sorry you had to see it.” 

Carmen nodded, hugging Julia as well. “I’m still...still processing it, i think.” 

Zack seemed angry with himself, as he drove past the exit of the hospital. He looked back. “I would’ve gone faster if I’d known, I-”

“Zack.” Ivy put her hand on his shoulder, tears in her eyes. “We did what we could. We made her comfortable...it woulda been easy to just leave her out in the rain.” 

Zack sniffled. “That’s...hard to think about, just leaving her out in the rain, like that guy.”

“It was too late for him, Zack.” Carmen said, holding Jules as tight as she could.

“I know.” He looked back when they were at a stop light. “...if you don’t see her lower half, she just looks peaceful.” 

“She does.” Shadowsan said. 

“She does.” 

* * *

“...Shadowsan. You awake?” 

“I am.” He spoke to Player. Paper Star’s body was wrapped in a sheet. Her hair was let down as well. The others were all sleeping in the van, in the parking lot of a supermarket. 

“It’s Player. I found someone who is willing to get the body back to her birthplace.” 

“You found it?” 

“Tottori prefecture. Her mother lives in a city there. She’ll be glad to have her back.” 

“Is this man legitimate?” 

“He is. On my honor. He’s outside the van now.” 

“Okay.” Shadowsan walked outside, carrying the body. A man in a hearse, wearing all black, looked at him. “Shadowsan?” 

“Yes.” 

“This is her, huh?” The man looked. “Don’t worry...we’ll get her where she’s going.” 

“Thank you...how can I trust you?” 

The man winked. “Friend of Player’s. Don’t worry about a thing.” They loaded the body. Shadowsan looked at it one last time, before tha man closed a coffin. The old man looked down at the pavement. 

“...sorry for you loss.” 

“It’s..” He sighed. “It could have been far worse.” Shadowsan hugged the man in all black, who held him there for a bit. He let him go, and the man drove off in the direction of the airport. He walked back into the van, using a towel to wash the blood off of his face. He sighed, and looked up. 

“...I hope she got her blanket.” He said to himself, before drifting off to sleep. 

* * *

“Maelstrom.” Cleo huffed and sighed, seeming rather annoyed. “You’re telling me one of our operatives  _ died  _ because she tried to get information that she was allowed to have?”

“She was trying to expose it to the target. You saw her locator, didn’t you?” 

“I did.” She said. “What I  _ don’t  _ see is a justification for this.” 

“It’s because you’re not-”

“ _ It’s because there  _ **_is_ ** _ no explanation. _ ” She said. “Your game has gone on too long. If your son dismantles another mission so severely, we’re going to have to take drastic measures.” 

“What sort of measures?” 

“Either kill  _ him  _ or fire  _ you.  _ The choice is yours.” 

“...if he fails, you may kill him.” 

Coach Brunt stood from her chair. “You just threw yer son under the bus like  _ that!?  _ This is the problem we’ve been having with this whole operation!” 

“If we could just think outside of a few deaths here and there, we could see the light at the end of the tunnel!” 

“SHUT UP, GUNNAR.” Cleo stepped out of her chair, and walked towards him. “If I hear you bellow on about vision or the future anymore, I’m going to personally break every individual bone in your weak, pathetic body.” She said. “Are we abundantly clear?” 

“...yes.” 

“Your place on the faculty is in jeopardy. Remember that when you speak…” She said. “Our next attempt will be in Germany. We’re going for an instrument that was used by the band Kraftwerk. It’s worth millions, and it should be an easy steal...especially if Gunnar’s little boy stays out of the way.” 

“Quite a bit of money, indeed.” Bellum said. “It will be all we can do to recoup the costs of a lost operative.” 

They were  _ clearly  _ displeased with Maelstrom. 

Maelstrom spoke. “If I may,” 

“Keep it quick, tex.” Brunt said. 

“Ahem. I have suggested to my son that he stay as clear of the area as possible...but these events do tend to attract former VILE faculty.” 

The door opened. Connor walked in. 

“Ahh, Connor. We were just talking about you.” 

“Bad, huh?”

“Well…” Coach Brunt thought a moment, “Not exactly... _ great _ .” 

“You killed an operative.” Cleo said. “This is most severe...your father has managed to get you out of trouble this time. I hope it does not happen again.” She said. 

“It won’t.” 

“Connor.” Maelstrom spoke. 

“ _ What now?”  _ Connor snarled at his father. 

“I trust you’ll do well in Germany not to cause a scene?” 

“I’ll do what I can.” He said. “I came back to let you know that I’m sorry for what I did. I know it was heinous. I panicked, and it won’t happen again.” 

“We know you won’t do it again,” Brunt said, “killing someone you’re close to tends to rule that out.” 

Connor walked from the room, and sighed. He went back to his bunk at VILE headquarters. He crossed some names out of his book. He looked at a thing on his windowsill, a little origami swan. He remembered when she taught him to make those. He remembered that day very well. 

He could never get it back. 

* * *

The day broke over the parking lot of the supermarket. Ivy and Zack, whose clothes had the least blood, walked in with Jules’ card, and walked out with some food, new clothes, and supplies. 

“We’re heading for the jet.” Zack said. “We’re going to a safehouse in France before we complete the trip.” 

“Where’re we headed?” Jules asked. 

“Germany.” Carmen said. She looked at Shadowsan, sitting in the corner. He looked out the window. 

“...you okay?” 

“I’m not sure. No death is as easy to witness as the ones before. It never stops being painful.” 

“I know.” She hugged him, and they both let silent tears form and fall in their eyes. They felt an extra pair of arms, Jules. Then Ivy. Then Zack. They all hugged each other and just stayed there for a moment. 

As they started to drive, Jules held Carmen’s hand. She looked up at her. 

“We’ll stop him. I know we will.” 

Carmen couldn’t answer her. She just leaned on her, and kept her hand in Julia’s for the rest of the journey to the airport.


	13. Bait and Switch

The safehouse stay was quiet, uneventful, and mostly bland. While the twins seemed to enjoy themselves, Carmen just stared out the window for the 3 days they spent there, waiting for things to be all set in Germany. 

Jules wrapped her arms around the topless Carmen, still staring out the window. Jules kissed the back of her neck. 

“I understand how you feel.” Jules was wearing an old ACME hoodie and a pair of leggings, and the cheap but thick fabric of the hoodie brushed up against Carmen’s skin, bathing her in warmth and softness. 

“You don’t.” Carmen wryly said back to her. 

“I lost people on the job, too.” Jules said. 

“I know…” Carmen turned and kissed her gently, hugging her tight. She didn’t cry, if only because there were no more tears left to shed. 

“People are trying to kill me.” Carmen said. “I know they don’t say they are, but if I know anything, I know they’ll eventually decide I’m not worth the trouble.”

“Carmen…” Jules looked into her eyes, pressing her forehead to the thief’s. “We’re going to make sure you’re safe.  _ I’m _ going to make sure you’re safe.  _ Nothing  _ bad is going to happen. At least, nothing life threateningly bad.” Juels said. “I am certain he’ll be at our next job. If we can stop him-”

“And what, kill him too?”

“Carmen, I-”

“What does that make me?” Carmen asked, her voice beginning to tremble. 

“Carmen, it makes you the end of a chain of deaths.” Jules said. “There is good in everyone, and I admire that you look for that. But unless he wants to change, unless he tries, he won’t.”

“Julia, I can’t just  _ kill  _ him.” Carmen said. “I’ve never even  _ imagined  _ taking a life, I just can’t do it.”

Julia nodded slowly. 

“I can.” 

“Jules, I can’t make you live with th-”

“Do you know what they make you do when you train for ACME?” She asked. “They have you raise a dog in some virtual simulator program. Name it, keep it, take good care of it.” She said. 

“Then what?”

“Then they have you kill it.” Jules looked down. “They make you able to carry the weight. Whether you like it or not.”

“Julia, I still don’t know about-”

“Carmen, if we don’t stop him, more people will die.” 

“I get it.” Carmen said. She was heaving in breaths. “I understand, I know that, but...it can’t be me.”

“I understand.”

“Can it be you? If….if it absolutely  _ has  _ to be?” 

“Only if it has to...if we can detain him, that’s another option. But...we must detain him first.” She said. “I say we try to capture him first, and maybe keep him at headquarters, or something...but if we have to, then-” Jules hesitated, trying to find the right words. “Then we have to.”

“Can I just hold you for a bit?”

“Of course.” Julia said. “I’m sorry to talk business.”

“It’s fine.” Carmen kissed her gently. “I love you so, so much, Jules. I don’t want anything bad to ever happen to you.”

“I love you too, Carmen.” The two stayed tangled with each other for the rest of the day. 

* * *

“Good news.” Player spoke into the intercom, as the group got to the Kunstsammlung K20 building in Düsseldorf. “Our friend Sonia has managed to grab the real synthesizer.” Player said. “It’s interesting, it was actually used to record the band’s 1975 album Radio-Activity.”

“Is the phony in place?” Carmen asked. 

“Right there. We’re gonna bait them out of there...as for the collector, Jules will be in position, waiting for him to strike. No doubt, he’ll go for her if he gets the chance.”

“Got it.” Jules said. She sighed a bit. Carmen squeezed her hand, and Jules shook her head. “I’ll be fine, love.”

“I know you will...I’ll be watching, ready to swoop down if the need arises.” Her direction of conversation shifted to the rest of the team. “Shadowsan and Ivy will be distracting any VILE operatives.” 

“Got it, Carm.” Ivy nodded. “We’ll be nice and distracting.” 

“Zack, you stay with the van, and make sure you keep an eye on Sonia. I know she was a target.” 

“Deal. I’ll be picking her up at the front entrance.” 

“Oh dear,” Jules looked out the window, “Looks like ACME people are here.” 

“Not a problem. They’re mostly irrelevant, but try to evade capture by them. I don’t think they quite know Shadowsan or Ivy.” 

The group set out. Jules, in her slate blazer, red blouse, and slacks, looked just about as Jules as possible. Carmen dressed in her usual attire, and snuck onto the roof. Ivy and Shadowsan just dressed casually, button ups and jeans. And Zack, he drove the van to the parking lot, after picking up a guest. 

“Evening, Sonia.” Zack said. “Hope you’re ready for the least fun part of the job. Where’s the real thing, anyhow?”

“Hey...Zack, right?” She smiled. “Yeah, it’s in the case here.” She said. She put it in the back of the van. “So now all we have to do is wait, right?”

“And move if we see anyone too suspicious.” 

“Deal….and if we do we act like an angry couple who’s just really bad at asking for directions, right?”

“I mean I  _ suppose  _ I could do that, but I’ve got a great sense of direction.” Zack winked. 

“Is that why we passed the parking lot and are headed up Bundesstraße 1?”

“...my directions don’t speak German.” He muttered as he frantically turned around. 

* * *

For the most part, the early evening was calm. ACME agents weren’t very disruptive, and the radio had been pretty clear about the fate of the two VILE agents sent for the object...momentarily distracted. They could take the fake, so Ivy and Shadowsan needed to just end up making it look like a genuine effort was made to stop them. 

Jules, on the other hand, had a more...troubling job. 

She left the gallery, and headed to the parking lot. It was empty, save for cars, of course. The chilly evening air didn’t bite, but it did bring with it footsteps. 

He looked sad eyed, as he walked closer. “...Jules?” Jules turned to face him. 

“You are?”

“I believe we met in Athens.” He showed off a bandage on his arm. “I’ve come to ask a few...questions.” 

“The issue with us meeting is that I know you’re a killer.” 

“I can’t kill you here, can I? At least, not unless the lights went out.” He smirked, and as if on cue, the lights in the parking lot were turned off. “Ahh. How convenient...thanks, troll.” He said into a communicator. 

“I might answer a few...if you let me escape.”

“...You know anything about-”

WHAM!

Carmen’s hand came down on his back, and he was on the ground, lurching forward. “Shit…” He winced and crawled away, before grabbing a gun. 

Jules shot it out of his hand, before training it at him.

It was no use, as he rolled out of view right when she got a good shot. He held one hand, and ran towards something. A car?  _ Seriously!? _

_ The cleaners, of all people,  _ managed to drive off, but were stopped by a pair of cars. 

_ ACME cars.  _

Jules huffed as Zari got out of one, stopping them. “What are you two doing here?”

It turned out, the Collector’s acting skills were pretty great. “T-those two tried to rob us!” He said. “That one even shot my hand!”

Carmen and Jules looked over, and Jules made eye contact with Zari as the lights came back up. 

“That man is a hitman, he’s killed several innocent people!” Jules said. “He’s an impostor!” 

“...Is that Carmen Sandiego? How am I supposed to trust you, Jules?”

“Are you  _ serious!?”  _ Jules walked closer. “When have I lied to you, Zari?”

“For all I know you could be lying right now...let them through.” 

“LET THEM THROUGH!?” Jules walked quickly, towards Zari. Chase got out of the car, as well...Chase was here? 

“Zari, Miss Argent is the smartest woman I know, she does not  _ lie!  _ She-”

“Can it, Chase, cuff Carmen.”

“I refuse.” Chase said. 

“...I beg your pardon?”

“I said I  _ refuse _ , Zari. I am going to talk to the chief.” 

“I’m right here.” 

Of all the people in the world to walk in at that time...the Chief was the worst option. But there she was, Tamara Fraser, in the flesh. 

“Jules. You have some explaining to do.” She said, walking closer. “Don’t cuff Carmen...yet. I want to know what they’re doing together.”

“What are you talking ab-”

“How come you found her now, but never when you worked for us?” Tamara asked. 

“She found me.” Julia said. 

“And why is that?”

“Because I-” Jules paused for a moment. She blushed. Carmen spoke. 

“She and I are lovers, Tamara.” She said. “How clueless are you that you didn’t get that earlier?”

Tamara seemed unaffected by the revelation. She just crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes. “...cuff Carmen.” Tamara snapped her fingers...right as the clacking, wooden sound of a Katana being taken from its sheath eked out from behind her.


	14. A Minor Inconvenience

“Whoever has the sword back there, I doubt you’d use it.” Tamara said with confidence. 

“On the contrary.” Shadowsan spoke. “Killing you would be a minor inconvenience. I’ve been forced to make the choice many times before. The one time you did it was a mistake...I’m sure the people aiming guns at me wouldn’t dare shoot an old man and a young woman.”

“I’d do what I need to keep the chief alive.” Zari said. 

“Then shoot me.” Jules aimed squarely at Tamara. Right at her forehead. Shadowsan was trained on her, and while Ivy didn’t really...have anything to shoot with, or stab with, she did manage to look quite menacing. 

As the van pulled up, Sonia got out, carrying with her a rather large knife. 

Needless to say, the situation was a powderkeg, with 3 people trained on Tamara, 1 on Carmen, and 1 on Jules. No one was moving. Nervous sweat was dripping down everyone’s brow, but no one dared move a muscle. 

“What happens if I move to cuff Carmen?”

“Then I shoot you.” Jules said. “After that I use your body to guard against what I’m assuming are hollow points, incapacitate the remaining agents, and escape.”

“And what if I step backward towards the old man?”

“Then you get to see what it’s like to be two  _ halves  _ of a person.” Shadowsan said. 

“So what may I do?”

“ _ Exactly as I say. _ ” Julia said. “Tell the other agents to leave.”

“...do what she says, you two. We’re outgunned.” Zari and Chase drove off. 

“Tell the rest of your agents that nothing bad has happened. The instrument has been secured.” 

“...all units, this is the chief.” She spoke with her hands up, into a communicator. “The synthesizer is secured, no further action needed at this time. Threat level is-”

“I know what the codes mean.” 

“...threat level is Oscar Lima.” 

“Put the gun down.” 

Tamara put the gun down. 

“...this is for every life lost by letting that hitman out.” Jules decked Tamara in the  _ throat,  _ causing her to lose her balance, sputter, and fall to the ground. Jules aimed her gun at Tamara’s head, her hand on her stomach.    
BANG! BANG!

Two bullets went into the ground right above her head. Jules picked her up by the collar, and slammed her into the wall, as a shocked Carmen just watched. 

“That man was a murderer. And you let him go because you wanted to capture a woman who’s been on our side the  _ whole time _ .” Jules let her down, and opened the door of the remaining ACME car. 

“Go home.” Jules said, sternly. “And have a nice trip.” A dazed Tamara drove out of the parking lot, slowly. A very upset, angry looking Jules, looked around. “...I snapped.” 

“How long had  _ that  _ been in there?” Zack asked. 

“A while...a long while.” 

“I say we get in the van, no doubt someone heard the shots.” The team all rushed into the van, dropped Sonia off at the museum to hide away the real instrument, and got going, back towards yet another safehouse, this one in Liege, Belgium. 

* * *

“Jules, we need to talk about the parking lot.” Carmen said. “That was...horrifying.”

“I was upset.” She said. “I just...she let him go, and-”

“You didn’t need to  _ almost kill the woman!”  _

“I was never going to end her life.” She said. “She needed to believe I would, so I acted. Spies know how to act.”

“Julia.” Carmen looked at her. “I’ve never seen you that upset about anything in your life! Are you just...able to do that?”

“I bottle a lot of things up, Carmen, I-”

“So you’ve been upset this whole time?”

“YES!” She shouted. “Carmen, I...I was trying so hard to go legitimate.” She said. “I have wanted to live a normal life since getting out of ACME. But when you called I thought it was a chance to  _ do  _ something.”

“Do something?” Carmen asked. 

“All I ever did was chase you, I never did anything worthwhile.” Julia heaved out the words, as her eyes became glassy, and her cheeks became flushed. “I had a chance to actually  _ stop  _ something, to do some sort of good, to redeem the lost years spend frittering away at two organizations who had  _ no idea  _ what was going on and-”

“And it slipped away from you.” Carmen spoke calmly as her expression softened. She walked towards her, the red jacket and fedora now off, sitting on a chair next to the bed. She wore only her black jumpsuit. She held her tightly. “Everything you ever did was for nothing, and the one chance you had to have it be for something, it was taken from you.”

“It hurts.” Julia said, as she openly wept. “It just...hurts. I try so hard to do good, and instead I end up almost killing this woman, and-”

“Hey, Jules,” Carmen lifted her head by the chin, using her thumb and forefinger. “You said it yourself. You weren’t going to do it. You needed her to believe you would.”

“I know...I’m sorry, that...that was far from calm and collected.” 

“You’re allowed to be upset, and you’re allowed to lash out sometimes.” Carmen stroked a thumb across her cheek. “Granted, it doesn’t mean that she has to  _ forgive  _ you for it, but-”

“Do you?”

“What do I have to forgive? You saved me from being captured, Tamara lived, that’s...really all I need from the situation.” 

“I need you to know I’m not like that, I’m nothing like that, I’m not some...some  _ monster _ .” 

“Jules. I know.” Carmen kissed her gently, holding her in tight. “You got frustrated, you slipped up, you did what you had to do, and it was a hard thing to have to do. You saved us. And that’s so much more than I  _ ever  _ ask of you.” 

“Thank you.” Jules just held on, and after a good long while, went to change. She came back in sleepwear, laying on the bed. “I love you, Carmen.”

“I love you, too.” Carmen kissed her, and turned out the light. “Do you want anything?” She asked. 

“After today, I just want you to hold me.” 

“Deal.” Carmen yawned. 

“Tomorrow, Carmen,” She spoke, “I want you to take me to the nicest cafe in Liege.” She said. “We’ll just be with each other there.” 

“It sounds nice...just being with you.” 

“It does.” Jules spoke, sleepily. “There’s one nice thing about ACME and Interpol though…”

“What’s that?”

“I met you.” Jules turned to face her, and kissed her. 

* * *

“...the target got away. I know about another target. The man directly knew Carmen’s mother.” The Collector spoke, as he looked at the gauss on his right finger. He’d have to cover that with a glove. 

“Very well.” Maelstrom spoke into the screen, his eyes watching Connor’s, as the cleaners’ car sped down the highway. “Where is he?”

“Liverpool. I’m going alone.” He said. 

“Wonderful, my boy.” Maelstrom nodded. “Absolutely wonderful. Isn’t that where your mother raised you?.”

“It is.”

“Then she had that awful accide-”

“Shut up, I’m not stupid. I know how  _ brake lines  _ work.” 

“It’s not like  _ I  _ cut them.”

“Convenient, innit? Awful convenient that she dies right when I get old enough to be in VILE.”

“Connor,” Cleo spoke, trying to stop the two from arguing, “we appreciate the work. Wait for word from us before anything rash, though...but head towards liverpool We need to discuss something here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The feed was cut off. 

Cleo sighed. “Carmen Sandiego is proving to be too much trouble. Those in favor of having her be the next target?”

Cleo and Bellum raised their hands. 

“I...still think she’d be useful.” Brunt said. “I’m gonna have to side with Maelstrom on this.” 

“If we get the mother back, we get her.” Maelstrom said. “And we’re very close to  _ getting  _ her mother back.” 

“Who’s to say we retrieve her without a hitch? She’s been one step ahead of us for ages.” Bellum said. “If we're heading for the heart, I say we head for the  _ heart. _ ” 

“Let’s draw her to Liverpool.” Brunt proposed the idea. “Set up a fakeout heist, like we did in London. Only this time, we kill the contact, and have her brought in? Only reason it didn’t work last time was because of a very rude interruption.” 

“Very well...draw her to Liverpool, saying that the Collector is there. Then we get rid of the contact, capture her, and we’re finished with the whole ordeal.” Cleo smirked. “I think we’ve come to an agreement...a rarity, these days.” 

“Yes...I think it will be worth the trouble.” Maelstrom contacted Connor again, but made sure this contact wasn’t encrypted, and got a message out to the troll to record it. 

“Connor? Listen to me. Go to liverpool and dispose of the contact.” He said. “Find her mother and get out.” 

“Deal.” He said. “Anything else?”

“There will be no other VILE operatives in the area...so be on your best behavior.” 

“Understood.” 

As the transmission ended, the Troll got to work, and managed to send it to a certain man in a certain chair in Canada.

* * *

“...I gotta get in touch with them when it’s time.” Player said. “But….right now I need rest.”


	15. Non Nobis Solum Nati Sumus

_ “Not for ourselves alone are we born.” _

_ -Cicero _

It was nighttime when the van made its way to Liverpool. Carmen knew what this was. It was all over the wall. It was drawing them out. She was ready for it. 

“Jules and I will go after the collector. Shadowsan, be ready if we need you. Zack and Ivy, stay with the van. There could be other VILE operatives in the area.”

“What about the contact who knows your mother?” Shadowsan asked. 

“...Zack, Ivy, change of plan. Try to get to this contact before we leave.”

“Where’s this person gonna be?” 

“Not sure...Player, can you find anything?”

“Apparently they’re meeting up by the seaside on Crosby Beach.” 

“Right head there.” 

“What if there’s increased ACME presence?” Jules asked. 

“Then we’ll shut them up. We have to be in a few places at once tonight, but it isn’t anything we’re unprepared for.”

“Are you prepared to die for this, Carmen?” Shadowsan asked. 

“Won’t have to be.”

“That’s not what I asked.” He looked her in the eye. “This man has a killer instinct. He’s unlike any VILE operative we’ve faced...he will kill you if he gets the chance.” 

“I know.” Carmen said. “Nothing I haven’t dealt with before.” 

“If you say so.” 

The van got to Crosby beach, and Jules and Carmen got out. Jules wore a black hoodie and black jeans, and Carmen decided to just wear the black jumpsuit, and not the heavy coat and hat this time. 

“I see him…”

“Looks like he’s still waiting there.” 

“Are we ready?”

“We’re all in position.” Player confirmed it. 

“...Let us begin.” Carmen walked onto the beach, carefully, and slowly. 

* * *

Connor grew up here. 

He spent time on this beach. He was there when they put those sculptures of men on the beach, too. He thought they were odd, but interesting at least. 

His mother raised him while his father did...something. At the time he had no idea, only that he was norse and that he worked somewhere far away. He always figured it was Norway. He wanted to go there someday. His mother would always seem so...off, when talking about his father. Like she didn’t like him. 

Then she died in a car accident, and he finally met his father, on some island in the middle of nowhere. 

Connor resented this job. He’d always wanted to work with the sea, live by it, breath in the air, see the tide. He wanted to be a sailor. Maybe a fisherman, or a real sea faring man on a cargo vessel. Maybe he’d join the navy. 

But he was stuck here, like it or not, waiting for someone to come and die. He sighed a bit as he waited, the breeze from the water getting stronger, and-

“COLLECTOR!”

Carmen Sandiego shouted at him. It took him a moment to register that it was her, to wake up from his daydream about sundays by the seaside with his mother. He blinked. 

WHAM!

A fist came right at his jaw. Now he started to think quickly. It was too close for his gun. He pulled out his knife, and swung it, slashing at Carmen’s arm. She quickly fell back, grabbing something from a pouch on her belt. 

Jules was next. She shot, but missed, as her gun was flung from her hand. He jabbed her in the throat, and grabbed her by the collar, throwing her onto the dirt. Carmen was still bandaging herself when he pulled out his gun. 

“I have orders to  _ kill  _ Sandiego. Best you back off before I execute those orders.” 

“You wouldn’t shoot someone on the ground.”

“Done it before. I’d do it again.” 

“Connor, please,” She huffed, the bandage now tight around her arm, and Jules now back on her feet. “It doesn’t have to be like this...I know you’ve done bad, but you can change!”

“You don’t change that many unarmed deaths.” he snarled. “It’s not like they were shooting back.” He saw the contact walking along the shoreline. 

“Don’t you  _ dare. _ ” Carmen said. 

He aimed the gun. 

Carmen tackled him, and a stray shot went into the sand, as he wrestled with her. Jules got the contact to start running towards the van, and managed to grab her gun from the sand.

“There’s...still….hope!” Carmen kicked Connor into the cold sea water, and as he got up to try and rebound, he got in a kick to her side. The two were about shin deep in water, as they tried to pin each other. 

“Connor,  _ please,  _ there’s hope for you.”

“No there isn’t. Shut up and stop trying to tell me that!” He grabbed the knife, and tried to stab her. She blocked it with her arm and grabbed the knife, throwing it back to shore. 

She punched him in the face, and he fell backwards, letting himself be submerged in the water for a moment, before getting back up and pulling her into his waiting fist, getting her square in the chin. She fell backwards, and struggled to get back up. 

“There’s no hope for men like me, Carmen.” He said. “That’s  _ why  _ we do this.” He managed to pull  _ another  _ knife from his jacket. 

“I’ve killed too many to turn back. I’m no soldier, they weren’t gonna hurt me.” He took her to the shallower water, and pinned her down, kneeling on her stomach. “I was no soldier.  _ I was a murderer. _ ” He lifted the knife aloft. 

“And I’ll always be one!” 

“Connor…” Carmen kicked her knee into his groin. He grunted and keeled over. 

Carmen got out from under him. “If you’re always going to be one, then-”

BANG! BANG!

Uh oh. 

ACME Agents were on the shoreline, and they’d aimed at….something. 

“You idiot!” Chase could be heard shouting. “That is not Carmen Sandiego, that is one of the sculptures! Next thing is-AH!” 

Jules tackled Chase to the ground, and Carmen rushed to help her. Zari was armed, but...she wasn’t a great shot. In any case, Carmen used her grappling hook to grab the gun and pull it from Zari’s hands. Chase’s gun was quickly in the hands of Jules. 

“You two  _ leave. _ ” Carmen barked the words at them. “This is  _ our  _ business, so shut up and get out of here!” 

“We’re not leaving without you Sandiego.” Zari seemed determined. 

“Oh, for christ’s  _ sake,  _ you’re out gunned again. Just leave!” 

“No…” Zari attempted to rush Carmen, and Carmen, who admittedly wasn’t ready to even pull the trigger on someone that close to her…

Didn’t have to do anything. 

Because  _ Connor  _ was right there to clothesline Zari across her chest. He took advantage of her having to catch her wind again, and went for Carmen. He pinned her, and grabbed the gun from her hands, holding it to her head. 

“Goodnight, Blacksheep.”

BANG!

Connor’s face went blank. He grabbed his throat, and...blood poured from it. He flopped to the ground, writhing. 

BANG!

Another shot finished the job, getting him squarely in the forehead. 

“...You killed him.” Carmen’s breaths were quick, and shallow. “You….”

“I did.” Julia Argent said, the last one standing. Zari was still regaining her breath, and Chase was out cold from a strike by Jules. 

“He’s dead.”

“He was going to kill you.” 

“...I know.” Carmen got up. She winced at the sight of Connor’s body. “Chase. Zari. We never speak of this or she shoots  _ you,  _ too.”

“Deal.” Zari said. “...we got here too late and you were gone.” 

“You’re absolutely right.”

* * *

As it turns out, the contact wasn’t useless. He knew something about someone in Monaco, who  _ may  _ have been related to Carmen’s mother. He was released from the van to make room for Connor’s remains. 

“I found a funeral home that’ll do it, no questions asked.” Player said. “Sending you directions.” 

“Won’t ask any questions at all?” 

“Nope. Direct cremation and all that.” Player added. 

“Let’s go there.” 

Jules looked at the body. She sighed. She looked….defeated, almost. Like she’d gotten an A on a test by cheating. 

“You saved my life.” Carmen said. 

“I know.”

“You did the right thing.” Carmen held her tightly. 

_ “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.”  _ Jules softly sang the song, the only service Connor would get. 

_ “The darkness deepens, lord, with me abide.  _

_ When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, _

_ Help of the Helpless, oh, abide with me.”  _

It was a hymn she’d heard a lot when she grew up in England. A funeral hymn. She’d sung it in choirs a few times. 

It had never been this hard to sing before. 

They got to the funeral home, and they said they needed an address to send the urn to, after reading a forged death certificate that Player had sent to them. Jules just gave them her address in Cornwall. 

“Shame to hear about all this. Mugging, eh?”

“Yes.” 

“Sorry for the loss, ma’am.”

“It’s okay...I’ll get by.” She paid the money, and hobbled back into the van. The rest of the drive to the safehouse, which was, of course, Jules’s house 6 hours away, was long, and quiet.


	16. There Will Be Other Days

_ “We survived. You and I. And those who survive have a duty. Our duty is to do our best to keep on living. Even if our lives are not perfect.” _

_ Haruki Murakami, ‘Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage’ _

What is the nature of love?

Does it make us do things we wouldn’t normally do? Or does it make us do things that we would have done anyway? Does it release our innermost desires to the world?

Jules couldn’t answer that. She was still asleep. She rubbed her eyes and sighed gently, looking around. It hadn’t been a dream. The killing, the traveling, it hadn’t been a dream. 

She only knew that because of her. 

Her soft, brown hair was lit by the sun as it came through the window. Her body, tense, and taut, was somehow calming to see, its gentle up and down heave a sign of life in the otherwise lifeless, sleeping Carmen. 

Jules brushed a bit of hair from her face, and kissed her forehead. She got up, and got undressed to go to the shower. 

She could still hear the shot as she washed herself. She could still see the body, writhing on the ground, gasping for breath. She could still hear the final groaned out sounds. She figured he’d never thought he’d die that way. Flopping, gasping for any remnant of air. 

Maybe he just always thought he’d be ready. 

She shivered, and sighed. She’d finally done something. She’d stopped a clandestine hitman, whose entire aim was to kill random people at the drop of a hat. And she felt empty. She felt...inadequate. Like she  _ had  _ to do it, like she wasn’t  _ good enough  _ to get out of that situation without doing that. She felt horrible. She felt-

She felt hands around her waist. Carmen’s hands. She kissed her cheek gently, and washed her back. 

“You’re beautiful, Jules.”

“You are, too.” Jules turned to face her, and kissed her softly. She held onto Carmen, tight. 

“I’m a monster.”

“Jules, you said it yourself, you did what you had to do.”

“I know, but-”

“Sometimes,” Carmen looked her in the eye, “your only ally is pinned under someone who has every intention to kill her. And sometimes there’s no other option.”

Jules looked back at Carmen, her eyes becoming glassy. 

“You didn’t make a mistake. You  _ knew  _ he was going to kill me, he said it himself. It’s not like-”

“The chief killing your father.” She said. 

“No, it’s not. She made a dumb mistake. You saved my life.” 

“It’s hard for me to think about it.” Jules said. “But...I just...I want to be good enough.”

“For who?”

“I don’t  _ know. _ ” Jules leaned against a wall. 

“I wish I did know.” Jules lamented. 

“You’re good enough for me.” Carmen said. She picked Jules up off the wall and held her in close. “I dunno how much that means to you but-”

“It means everything to me.” Jules said. “It means….it means absolutely everything.” 

* * *

The twins and Shadowsan were by the sea, and were somehow managing to get a boat tour of sorts. Maybe just a boat ride. Jules was sitting in the backyard of her house, which gave a beautiful view of the coast, which she’d drawn at least a dozen times. She moved to draw it again, and then felt hands on her shoulder. 

“Carmen,” Jules looked up, and kissed her, “You’ve been all over me this morning.” 

“Can’t help it.” Carmen sat next to her, and moved Jules to her lap. “I finally have you all to myself.” She kissed Jules gently, and deepened the kiss, moaning softly. Jules shifted to face her. 

“Carmen…” She pressed her forehead to Carmen’s. “How long until you have to go back to...work?”

“I think we’ll take some time. Player’s working on some stuff right now. He’s gotten Connor a fake obit.” She said. “Other than that he’s just...taking a break, like we are.”

“How much of that break will be in Cornwall?” Jules asked. 

“Oh, I’m guessing quite a bit of it.” She said. “It’s nice this time of year...really a beautiful spot.” 

“You’re only looking at me, Carmen.” 

“I know.” Carmen giggled. “I’m guessing that’s not a new line?”

“Not in the slightest, I heard it all throughout high school.” She said. “But I still love you.” 

Jules nestled into Carmen, and sighed, wrapping her arms around her. 

“I love you so much, Carmen.” 

“I love you too, Jules.”

The two of them held onto each other, tight, and fell asleep. When they came to, it was late, and the twins and Shadowsan were back. They were all attempting to make food, and while some of it looked edible, other bits…

A half hour passed, and a knock came on the door. 

“24.90?” 

“Here.” Jules paid the delivery man with cash, and tipped well, and brought the pizzas inside. 

“How did you mess up a pasty, bro?”

“I  _ figured  _ if I put it in the oven hotter for less time, it’d...aww, nevermind.” 

“It’s fine,” Julia smiled, “I handled it.” They all crowded onto the couch, and watched whatever was on TV. Most of the night was spent focused less on the television and more on the conversation, as they all laughed and smiled and chatted. When the night was over, Carmen and Jules headed off to bed yet again. 

Carmen was first in bed, looking through one of Jules’ sketchbooks. 

“Those cyclists must come by the shop a lot.”

“A few times a week, normally.” 

“Ahh.” Carmen blushed when she got to one. “You...you remembered my face pretty well.”

“It’s a hard face to forget.” Jules came back, wearing a University of York t-shirt, and panties, setting her glasses on the table. She sat in bed and got under the covers, holding Carmen’s hand. 

Carmen moved Jules’ hand to her waist, and pulled her in for another round of passionate, long kisses, before letting go, and hugging her tight. “You make me happy, Jules...you make me the happiest woman on earth.”

“You make me happy, too, Carmen Sandiego.” The two locked into an embrace. The rest of the night would be decided by their hands, but for now, it was just holding, being with each other. 

“Don’t let go.” Carmen said. 

“I won’t.” Jules replied. 

The two didn’t go much further, just holding onto each other, as the thoughts of the last weeks left their heads. They were safe now. Warm, and safe, and happy, and very much in love. 

And nothing was going to change that. 


End file.
